Elemental Beauty: Last Guardian
by Dovahkiir2015
Summary: Second in this series. Tyra is free from Hydra, but the still has her doubts about herself, and she has a few more problems on her plate. Then she goes on a diplomatic mission to Asgard, and things go from maybe slightly alright to really not alright... with a crazy green lady, an annoying human, a walking thesaurus, a talking racoon, and a walking twig. Yeah, what could go wrong?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one

I leaned on my left arm as I looked at the image currently on my computer screen, as though I was trying to imagine what the man in the photo would have been like back then, or as though by looking at the picture I could work out exactly what he was doing right now. Steve had asked me to look for his friend ages ago… I'd managed to find him, too, but I hadn't told Steve that. I got the distinct impression that Barnes needed time on his own for a while, so instead of helping Steve I'd been running a bit of interference. I quickly closed the window I had opened on the computer and looked around as someone opened my door.

"We've been calling for a while," Sam said from the doorway, "Dinner's here," I nodded and he frowned when he looked at the screen, "What's up?" He asked.

"Nothing much. Just… another dead end," I sighed, frowning slightly, then stood up and slipped out past him into the hall, "We know who else is joining us?"

"The usual."

"No Thor or Dale then." I knew I sounded slightly disappointed, but I hadn't seen either of my brothers since Dale and I were liberated from Hydra. Thor had to return to Asgard, while Dale went his own, needing to put this sort of thing behind him. At first he'd thought that it would be better for me if I left too, but I couldn't bring myself my leave. Thor had asked me to accompany him to Asgard, but I couldn't bring myself to leave my home behind, and I wasn't quite ready to meet Odin.

"They'll be back at some point."

"Oh, I know that. But that really doesn't mean that I can't be disappointed." I smiled at Sam, then pushed my disappointment to the back of my head as I entered the main room, heading over to the couch and flopping down before reaching out for a small box of noodles. Chinese. I liked it. Wasn't my first choice, which was pancakes… recently I was finding that I liked them more and more, but Chinese was good too. This was Clint's choice, though I didn't know exactly why. Clearly he was just in that kind of mood.

"I don't understand why we can't." Tony was saying to Steve and I frowned in confusion.

"You know perfectly well why not, Tony."

"What can't we do?"

"Steve's saying we can't use that tech that Hydra had in Program Insight against them." Tony sounded vaguely peeved and I scoffed as I shoved some noodles in my mouth (I was very proudly using the chopsticks, which Tony was avoiding and it was clear that Steve had discarded them too).

"You really think that would be a good idea? Think about it. If we used it we would be no better than Hydra. Been there, done that. Don't want to see it repeat." I said once I swallowed.

"See?" Steve asked, motioning to me, "Thank you, Tyra."

"Oh, no. Don't thank me. The thought had crossed my mind, and I will admit to having a go at making another version of that program, though it was less murderous and much more simple." That earned me a glare from Steve, but a look of approval from Tony.

"You know, it's almost like she has two dads." Nat muttered to Clint.

"That's because she does. Though technically she's got three."

"You referring to Kurt, Odin, and Raymond? Because I'm pretty sure Nat was talking about the old married couple over there." I nodded to Steve and Tony, who had found something else to bicker about, not even noticing what I'd just said. Sam snorted, Nat smirked, and Clint grinned, holding his beer bottle up to me in a toast. Hill was on her night off, else she'd possibly be here with us too.

"You realise that gives you a grand total of five dads?" Nat asked.

"Oh please… don't say that, now I have no chance to be a rebellious teenager." I pouted, getting up and going to the fridge, pulling out a can of soda before returning to my seat, glaring at Clint. He'd put his feet up where I'd been sitting and didn't look like he was about to move. He was like the pesky cousin of this family, or the annoying uncle. In my case, anyway. He knew me from back before my parents had been killed, so we knew each other pretty well. Heck, I even knew about his family, though the only other person in this room who did was Nat.

"Move it, archery dude." I muttered.

"What's the magic word?"

"Ah… Imperio?" I asked, "That way you have no choice but to move your lazy butt." Clint gasped.

"Tyra! That's an unforgivable curse! You know what would happen if you used that on me?"

"Ah… nothing? Because anyone who tried to arrest me would suddenly find it very hard to breathe. Now move it, Legolas." I actually leaned down and grabbed his legs, swinging him around so I could sit down. Nat just grinned as I then went and put my bare feet on him, casually reclining as I sipped at my drink.

"Practice what you preach, Baldy." I raised my eyebrows at Clint at this insult. Sure, I was bald… but I'd had brain surgery. And the woman who did the surgery decided it was best to remove my hair from the equation, so now I just had a thin layer of hair on my head.

"I have just as much hair as you do. Except I can actually grow it back." Sam laughed and I grinned while Nat just took a sip of her drink to hide her amusement.

"I'm gonna get you back for that one, Tyra." Clint grudgingly admitted.

"Looking forward to it."

"What did I miss?" Banner asked as he came out of his study and I just grinned at him.

"Oh, nothing much. Just Steve and Tony arguing again, me beating Clint again."

"Just the usual then." Banner sat down on the floor next to Nat and grabbed his own little carton of noodles or whatever you want to call it. I nodded and Clint grumbled something about he didn't always lose… but yeah, a lot of the time he did lose against me. Now Steve and Tony stopped arguing, deciding to come to a truce as a thought clearly crossed their minds.

"Hey, Tyrant…" Tony started and I craned my head back to look at him.

"Yo?"

"Now you're one of us… I'm sorry, but you need to ditch the hoodie," He shook his head, "It's a fashion disaster."

"I ain't ditching the hoodie. You try taking it off me, you burn." I pointed at him with my chopsticks and Steve shook his head.

"What he means is that now you're an Avenger, you need a uniform."

"Well, I ain't an active duty Avenger yet, so that can wait, yeah?"

"You're going to need one for when you are cleared for duty," Steve explained, "So… we were thinking that we could start coming up with ideas for it now, or soon at least. Considering how much you've improved recently you should be cleared for active duty soon."

"Longer it takes the better, in my opinion." I muttered.

"Getting cold feet on us, Ty?" Nat asked, only slightly teasingly. I shook my head.

"Now why would I be getting cold feet? All I want to do is fight Hydra and whoever else is going to threaten this very vulnerable, blue planet." But that wasn't actually it. I was getting cold feet… not because I was afraid of putting myself on the line, I didn't care about that at all. What worried me was my motives. What if I didn't agree to being an Avenger because of what I wanted, but because of what Hydra wanted? What if I was still being influenced by them, even if the tech had been removed from my head? I looked up as Tony held out a small box. I didn't have to ask what was in it. My prescription drugs which were made specifically for me. They were stronger than what most people could handle at all, or that was what I'd been told. I didn't really care about that. If they worked to get rid of my headaches, then it was all good. And the headaches were pretty much permanent if I didn't have these drugs. Courtesy of Hydra's tech shorting out right into my brain. I muttered my thanks, pulling out a sheet of the pills and taking one before slipping the pack into my hoodie pocket.

"You doing anything tomorrow?" Tony asked. I shrugged.

"Doubt it. It's not like I go out anymore, most I'll be doing is sitting round on my computer, maybe spar with someone, if anyone is willing to give it a shot."

"Good. You're going to sit with me for a while and we're going to try and figure out what your uniform's going to look like." He said it so matter of fact that I couldn't argue with him. Instead I just went with it, finishing my meal in near silence while everyone else talked, joked, and laughed about different things.

* * *

 _I walked through the house, blood dripping from the index finger on my right hand. My left hand was resting on the wall next to me as I found my way down the halls. I entered the living room and looked down at the man and woman on the ground. The woman's eyes still held life in them, and she looked confused, scared, betrayed… and one other thing that I couldn't put my finger on. She looked over at her dead husband, tears streaming down her face while she whimpered his name, wishing him to look at her. But he didn't. He's been my first victim. Something stirred inside me, but it was quickly stomped out and I just held out my left hand and twisted it around slightly, watching emotionlessly as the woman started gasping for air, clutching at her throat as if that could put oxygen back in her lungs. Someone came up behind me and clapped a hand on my shoulder._

 _"Well done, Schönheit." He said, a smile plastered on his face. I didn't even blink, hardly noticing the dampness on my cheeks. The woman's mouth moved in one silent word of disbelief. Even without being able to read lips, I knew what that one word was. My name. As though she was trying to make sure it was really me, that she wasn't making some kind of mistake. Then what life had been in her eyes flickered out and I lowered my hand. The man who had talked to me stepping around to check that both man and wife were dead, then looked back at me, frowning slightly._

 _"There is no reason to cry. This is cause to rejoice." He said, stepping back over to me and wiping the blood and tears from my cheeks, though I could vaguely feel it more smudging the blood rather than removing it. He smiled._

 _"You're now one of us, kid. You should be happy. Welcome to the ranks."_

* * *

I sat bolt upright, only just stopping myself from crying out loud as I launched myself from my bed and hurried over to my ensuite, crouching over my toilet bowl and trying very hard not to throw up as I finally let a sob escape me. Once I knew I wasn't going to throw up I leaned back against the wall, not really taking anything in as the tears rolled down my cheeks and my body shook with now uncontrollable sobs. I remembered something new almost every night, now, but that didn't stop that one memory from playing every now and then. Of course I would remember that one most vividly. They were the first people I'd killed. And they were my family. My parents. Well, no… I had no right to call them my parents anymore. They were Dale's parents, and I'd killed them. But there was no one I could tell. They wouldn't understand. They'd tell me that it wasn't my fault. But it was. I should have been stronger, I should have resisted, even if it had meant that I'd died instead of them. Then at least they'd still be alive and Dale would still have them, they'd have a more normal life. I looked up as someone came and sat down next to me. For once I didn't notice them coming in. Steve put one arm around me and I leaned against him, trying to rub the tears from my face.

"You're OK." He muttered soothingly, and I didn't say anything. All of the Avengers plus Sam knew about my nightmares and each night someone else was put on 'Tyra duty', each night someone else was in charge of trying to calm me down after a nightmare, and each of them had a different way of doing it. Steve was just… there. He didn't leave me until I was back in bed and soundly asleep. Nat would take me to the gym and put me through some drills to try and take my mind off things. Clint would tell me stories about things that his kids had been doing recently, sometimes even take me for a late night flight to his little farm so that I could get away from the tower, which hardly ever happened anymore because of not being able to turn off my powers just yet. Tony would take me to the kitchen and we'd help ourselves to the liquor, though we both knew that I couldn't get drunk on the human stuff. Didn't stop us trying. Tony never drank as much as me, but even just having some of it helped for some reason. Watching Tony getting a little tipsy certainly perked me up a little. Sam, if he was in the tower for a night, would tell me stories about his childhood and time in the army. I couldn't say which one of them helped me the most, they all seemed to help in their own ways. Oh, then there was Thor, who was hardly ever there, but he generally just told me about Asgard and all the places that he'd one day show me, all the people he'd introduce me to. While we both knew it would be a while before that happened, it helped distract me from what was going on in my head. After a while I pulled away from Steve and got up off the floor, heading back into the main room, sitting down on my bed. Steve sat down on the chair beside my desk, turning it around and sitting looking at me.

"You want to talk about it?" He asked. I shook my head.

"Not particularly. Just… me killing someone else."

"Normally you don't react that badly. Only the first time you had one of these dreams and maybe a couple of other times."

"I said I don't want to talk about it." We fell into silence again and I looked around the room. It seemed so different in the dark… strangely empty. All the others who stayed here every now and again had something in their rooms to make them theirs. Photos, paintings… a boxing bag or two. Not in my room. My room was still exactly the same as when I first came here, nothing to make it mine. It was just me and the computers. Oh yeah… one thing that made this room mine. Multiple computers. That was it. Other than that this room wasn't really mine, just something that I seemed hell bent on borrowing. Really needed to get onto fixing that. For a while longer we just sat there, not saying anything, then Steve yawned. I smiled.

"You should get back to sleep. I'm good here."

"You sure?"

"If I wasn't I wouldn't say it. If things get worse I'll find something else to do. Don't worry about it. Go." Reluctantly Steve stood up, heading over to me and briefly placing a hand on my shoulder before heading out the door back to his room. I flopped backwards and looked up at my ceiling, feeling the air movement as Steve walked away. Further down the hall, in her room, I could feel the air move as Nat slept. It was slower than if she was awake, that was something I'd started noticing more. People slowed their breathing when they slept. I mean, yeah, I knew that already, but now was different. Now I could feel it. I could feel almost everyone in the building, and it was vaguely annoying. Once I was certain that Steve was back in his room I got up and turned my computer on. After it had finished warming up I pulled up my file on Barnes, just to check up on him. Sort of stalkerish of me, but someone had to make sure he was still himself, while still leaving him to his own devices. It was already light over where Barnes was, but I had no clue where he currently was. That was the only problem with only having digital eyes was that I couldn't exactly move them around. Maybe actual eyes were better than digital ones. But, there were cameras pretty much everywhere. Cell phones, phone boxes… normal security stuff in shops and the like. I could see roughly what was going on, could spot Barnes if I really looked. He couldn't hide from everything. I snorted when I actually saw him, out and about… for once. It only happened when he really couldn't avoid it.

"Yes, that cap makes you really inconspicuous, you genius. Oh, and a long sleeved shirt with a jacket… when it's…" I paused and checked what the weather forecast over there was and shook my head, "70°F. Really smart, mate. Really smart. Makes you damn near invisible." I stood up and headed to the kitchen. There was no chance I was going to get to sleep again tonight, so I figured I might as well go and have a cup of coffee so I wouldn't feel so tired. There was little to no chance that someone would go into my room, so I figured that I may as well just leave the screen on. I walked down the cold, dark halls quietly, feeling the air shift around me, and entered the main room where only a few hours ago we'd all been joking and laughing. I went over to the coffee machine and set everything up before walking over to the window and gazing out over the city. I sighed slightly, annoyed about my insomnia, but also being slightly thankful for it, considering that each time I closed my eyes for more than a second I could still see my mum's eyes in my mind, the look of betrayal and confusion in them haunting me. Before the coffee was even half done I felt the world around me vibrating slightly, making it feel like the whole world was shaking. My eyes widened and I looked around, knowing what that meant after thinking on it for a second. I raced from the room and found my way to Tony's landing pad, my feet pattering softly as I found my way down the empty halls. I burst through the doors, stopping and just staring for a moment before a smile found its way onto my face as Thor stepped forward.

"Welcome back." I greeted, getting a smile in response. Thor stepped forward and put an arm around me, making me stand on tip toes so I could return the action.

"It's good to see you are well." He said warmly when he let go, and I didn't have the heart to tell him that I wasn't actually all too well, considering the time that I was up and about.

"Same to you," Then I frowned, "Not to be rude or anything, but ah... why are you here?" I asked, confused. Thor sobered, frowned ever so slightly.

"There is something that I must discuss with you." His voice was low and rumbling slightly. He didn't want to have to talk about what we were about to, that much was clear. Which meant there was nothing good going on.

"What?" I asked, rather suspiciously.

"Shall we talk somewhere more comfortable?" Thor suggested and I grudgingly nodded, following him back inside.

* * *

 **Hey guys! So, this is a sequel to an Avengers fanfic I wrote (Elemental Beauty). Has to count as a crossover though, and things will start getting more towards Guardians, don't you worry (There's gonna be some fun Rocket scenes). Please, do enjoy, and it might pay to go read Elemental Beauty, though I will some lowly cover the important parts of what happened, it'll just be less confusing if you go back and read it all for yourself.**

 **Welcome to Elemental Beauty: Last Guardian! :D (Sorry for any typos)**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

When we reached the main room again everyone had gathered, Nat sitting the cushiest looking seat, Banner, Clint, and Tony on the couch, Steve leaning against the wall. Sam was back at his house, so knew nothing of what was currently going on. Thor looked back at me and I shrugged.

"The bifrost isn't exactly the quietest form of transport, ya know." I grumble and Thor smiled slightly.

"No, it is not," He turned back to the others, "It is good to see you again, my friends." He greeted.

"It's good to see you too, Thor." Steve replied. Why did he have to be so formal about everything? I just stopped myself from rolling my eyes, sitting on one of the bar stools and facing Thor, not taking my eyes from him.

"We weren't expecting you back this soon," Nat said, "What's going on?" She asked.

"Recently the aether was discovered." Thor explained and I sighed.

"Yeah, we realise this. You caused quite the stir at Greenwich." I grumbled.

"Well, it brought to light just how little my father understands humans. I would like for there to be a treaty between those from Asgard and those from Midgard. However, he does not support Midgardians setting foot on Asgard," Thorns eyes landed on me and I sighed, knowing where he was going with this idea, "Tyra, I would never ask if I could see another way." Steve frowned.

"Wait... You're asking her to go back to Asgard with you?" He asked, clearly shocked, "She knows nothing about the place."

"Plus she hasn't recovered completely from her operation." Tony stepped in. Clint and Nat just shared looks, then their eyes landed on me as I chewed my bottom lip slightly, thinking it over.

"It's down to her in the end." Banner said, not really looking at anyone in particular. Thor didn't take his eyes off me.

"No, last time you asked she didn't want to go, and that wasn't very long ago, why would things have changed?" Tony asked. He was clearly a bit desperate but I shook my head.

"It's OK, Tony," I muttered, looking at the floor, bracing myself for what was to come, "I'll do it."

"Tyra, are you sure?" Steve asked, frowning in concern. I shrugged, forcing a small smile onto my face.

"I have to meet him someday, don't I?" Everyone knew who I was talking about. Odin.

"Think on it. I don't need an answer right now." Thor reassured me, but I shook my head.

"If you give me time to think on it I'm just going to change my mind. Trust me on that one. I'll go. Don't know exactly what you want me to do other than talk to him about humans, I'm not exactly trained as a diplomat, but I'll go," Thor looked like he was about to object but I shook my head again, "Please, don't give me a choice. Just... lock in yes as my final answer. We'll handle the rest later." Thor nodded and I looked around at the coffee, eyeing it up as the others quietly made their excuses and went back to bed, soon leaving just me and Thor in the room. I could feel hid eyes on my back as I poured the coffee into a couple of mugs, quietly making it to our tastes.

"You're not as well as I originally thought, are you?" He asked as I handed his mug over to him. I just shrugged.

"I'm as well as I ever am, considering the many surgeries I've hand on my brain... considering everything that I've done." My voice was quiet and Thor frowned.

"Everything you did while that technology was in your mind... it was not of your own accord."

"I know. But it still comes back to me. I still did those things," I shook my head, "I don't really want to talk about it."

"Tyra – "

"I said I don't want to talk about it," I snapped, "It won't change anything." I mumbled the last part, looking down into my coffee. Thor didn't say anything, but it was obvious that he was still worried about me, they all were, even if they weren't about to say as much.

"The less you talk about it, the more it will bother you." Thor mumbled and I just glared at him.

"The only reason it's bothering me is because you lot want me to talk about it. If you stopped going on about it, maybe I could forget it." Thor looked a little taken aback, but I ignored him, heading to my room once more. Yes, I was happy to see him again... but I needed time on my own. Now more than ever. He hadn't said when we would be heading to Asgard, but just knowing that I was going to be going there made me fell sick to the stomach. Tony was right. I wasn't ready to meet Odin, doubted he'd be ready to meet me either. But that was coming, and sooner than I had wanted. I closed my bedroom door behind me and sat down at my desk, setting the cup of coffee off to the side so I couldn't bump it and if it fell over for some reason it wouldn't get all over the electronics. Then I just watched the screen, Barnes no longer in view. Why would he be? It's not like he'd stand around all day just so I could watch him. If I could find him, then others could too. Hadn't thought of that when I agreed to go to Asgard. I chewed my bottom lip. Barnes was the Winter Soldier. He'd managed to stay hidden this long, he could manage without me hiding his tracks for a few days.

* * *

We left a couple of days after that, Steve pulling me into a quick hug.

"Be careful." He muttered in my ear.

"You don't know me at all, do you?" I chuckled back, stepping away from him and getting pulled into another hug by Tony before Thor took me out to the balcony and called for Heimdall to open the bifrost. Tony and Steve were standing next to each other, neither of them looking too crazy about the idea of the not being able to help me if I got into trouble. I shot them a reassuring look before the golden light flooded down from the sky and engulfed me and Thor.

"Hold on to me." Thor commanded, taking my hand in his. I did ands he said, holding on tightly as we were swept up and went shooting off through space. It was one of the strangest sensations I had ever felt, but I didn't entirely dislike it. When we landed I was grinning, even laughing slightly.

"OK, that wasn't quite what I expected." I grinned, then looked at the other man in the room. He was dark skinned wearing golden armour, a sword in his hands. He pulled it out of a pedestal type thing effortlessly and stepped down from the platform in the centre of the room.

"It is good to meet you, Tyra." He greeted, his voice low and rumbling, warm. He smiled at me and I gave him a shy smile back.

"Ah... hi..." I glanced around at Thor, who just smiled back.

"Tyra, this is Heimdall, keeper of the bifrost." He said, introducing me to the stranger. I looked back around at Heimdall, head slightly to the side.

"Huh... I read about you. You're known as the Shining God," I paused, "But you're also supposedly the whitest of all the Gods. Seems the legends got a couple of things wrong." Heimdall chuckled slightly, drawing a more confident smile from me.

"It would seem so." It surprised me that he wasn't too surprised by what I'd said, or creeped out.

"Is my father at the castle?" Thor asked and Heimdall nodded.

"He is, my prince. He waits for you in the throne room." Thor nodded and motioned for me to follow him. I did, pausing briefly to shoot another smile at Heimdall.

"It was nice meeting you." I said, and Heimdall nodded before I turned and continued following Thor. I almost stopped when I saw what the rest of Asgard was like, taken aback by the sheer beauty of it all. I prided myself on having a fairly vivid imagination, but in all my dreams I could never have come up with something like this. The bridge we walked on was made of a rainbow crystal-like substance and lit up where we placed our feet, the water around us sparkling in the light. I didn't even realise how childish I looked as I admired the world in wonder. Thor didn't say anything, simply smiling.

"How big is this place?" I asked and Thor shrugged.

"Big enough."

"Yeah, but... how big? I mean it's nothing like I expected. How come it's so... gold? Couldn't you have used some more imaginative colours? Though, I doubt that any other colour would have quite this effect... It's beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it," I looked at Thor and grinned, "I'm glad you came." I looked back around at the castle rising in the middle of the city, feeling my excitement drain from my body.

"Yeah... I'm still not sure that I am." I admitted.

"It will be fine. Just be yourself." Thor advised, knowing that I was meaning my meeting with Odin. I scoffed.

"Yeah, like that's gonna be a piece of cake. How am I supposed to be myself when there are no computers nearby?" I smiled slightly so Thor believed I was joking, but I wasn't. Being around tech was about the only time I did feel like my old self. We walked on in silence for a little while before I couldn't help but let my curiosity get the better of me, glancing around at Thor as we stepped off the bridge and into the city itself, which buzzed with life.

"So when am I going to meet him?" I asked. Thor looked around at his people, frowning slightly before looking down at me again.

"I think it would be better if you changed into Asgardian garb before meeting him."

"Thought you just said to be myself?" My eyes narrowed and Thor chuckled.

"Yes, but he doesn't want Midgardians around. So you wearing clothes from Midgard might make things harder for you."

"Terrific. Our father is sounding more and more petty minded by the second." I growled.

"Last time we had a Midgardian on Asgard, Malekith returned for the Aether and killed my mother." Thor explained and I felt slightly guilty. Only slightly.

"It wasn't a human that killed your mother, though. It was Malekith. Your girlfriend shouldn't be blamed for it, and Midgardians in general shouldn't be blamed either."

"That is what you are here to convince him of." Thor pushed open the doors and stepped back to let me inside, my eyes widening slightly as I took in the sight. Pillars stood tall around the hall and light shone in from windows higher on the walls, the ceiling itself pretty impressively high. I gave a low whistle as I looked around before Throwing dragged me through a door to the side, sending me to a small room off the corridor. I looked at him in confusion.

"Someone will be here shortly with clothes for you," He explained, "I am going to inform Father that you are here."

"Wait, Thor!" I called, rushing after him, but he'd already vanished down the halls. I sighed, hitting the door frame. I could vaguely feel where people were in this place, but I couldn't identify which one was Thor. Slowly I turned back around and looked at the room I was in, taking in the bed and desk, how extravagantly decorated the place was, if a bit empty. Obviously no one actually slept here. But why would there be a bedroom so close to the entrance? The possibility that this room was set up for me slipped into my mind, but I shrugged it off. Why would they arrange a room just for me? I wasn't anyone important, so why go through all that bother? Except... I was kinda important... I was the ambassador from Earth as well arms the bastard daughter of the king. So why here? Why not somewhere safer from attack? Not that I really needed protection... Someone knocked gently on the door and I slowly walked over and peered out, a nice looking woman with curly brown hair standing in front of me, a bundle of cloth in her arms.

"Prince Thor asked I give you these." She said, holding the pile out to me. I took it from her, admiring the colour of the dress. Most of it was made of blue-green, the sleeves golden.

"It's beautiful," I muttered, the looked back up at her, "Thank you." The woman smiled, nodding slightly before turning and leaving. I closed the door and arranged the dress on the bed, quietly taking off my shirt before slipping into the dress. It felt wrong, me wearing a dress. Usually I wore jeans and a tank top, dresses weren't something I looked at buying. I'd never found them all that comfortable. But this one wasn't too bad, thankfully. Still wanted shorts or something to wear under it. It was tight fitting around the waist, loosening off again afterwards, the hem falling to just brush the ground as I walked, and I could see it getting very dirty very quickly. There was also a cloak, but I didn't put that on. I'd watched the Incredibles enough to know what happened when you wore capes, so I wasn't about to put it on. Not right now anyway. Then it was just a matter of waiting for someone to get me so I could meet Odin for the first time. With nothing to distract me. Great. I slowly sat down on the bed, my anxiety causing a slight breeze in the room. I felt sick, almost like there was something creeping up behind me that I couldn't see, even if I did turn around. The door opened and I turned to look at Thor as he entered the room.

"Are you ready?" He asked.

"If I said no would it make any difference?"

"You will be fine, Tyra."

"So you've said. I still don't feel like I'll be fine." I reluctantly stood up and walked over to him, my hands shaking slightly. He paused a moment, then held out a couple of golden coloured gauntlets with four gems on each of them out to me. It took me only a fraction of a second to realise that the colour of each gem roughly matched the colours of the markings on my back. Red, green, blue, and a yellow-orange. Fire, air, water, earth. When I didn't move Thor took my right arm and clipped one of the gauntlets on it, then did the same to my left arm. A small frown appeared on my face and I looked down at them in wonder.

"I had them made specially," Thor explained, "Each gem has magic embedded in it to help you control your abilities while using less of your own power." I looked back up and him. If that was the case then it was no wonder that I couldn't feel the movement of the air much anymore.

"Thank you." I muttered, still taken slightly by surprise. I felt like I was saying thank you a lot today. Thor smiled.

"You're welcome," He replied warmly, "Shall we?" I nodded and followed him back down the halls, my dread increasing each step I took. I didn't even notice myself doing it, but my fingers started gently tracing the carved runes on my gauntlets, which were surprisingly comfortable, a sheet of soft cloth on the inside so the metal didn't rub on my skin as much. Then we stepped into a room with a throne sitting in pride of place, far too soon for my liking. On this throne was a man with white hair dressed in gold, a golden eyepatch covering his right eye, but I couldn't see anything holding it in place. I bit my lower lip, feeling my heart beating painfully in my chest. I'd faced Hydra, aliens, countless threats from other people, had sat in front of so many psychologists, principals, and done so many other things that could count as being frightening... but nothing even compared to how I was feeling right now. Not even when I figured out that I was being controlled by Hydra. Despite all of this, though, I couldn't help but smile slightly and struggle to contain a small chuckle as the thought that Odin was the first to invent Velcro slipped into my head.

"Father," Thor spoke, hauling back to what was happening at that moment, "I would like to introduce Tyra Jones of Midgard." Odin's one good eye turned on me and goose bumps went down my spine at the look in it. Cold, heartless... hating. But there was something else wrong... even with the gauntlets I could still feel a little of what was going on in the air currents and vibrations in the ground. Slowly I reached out with my mind, allowing myself to feel what the air did before slipping back into my own mind, struggling to act normally. All my nerves vanished at this single bit of information, but there was one more question left unanswered now. There was no way this man was really Odin, considering that the air almost went right through him in some places. Almost, but not quite... it acted differently around him than it would around other people. It was hard to explain. But I knew this man wasn't Odin, so who was he?

"What have I told you about bringing mortals to Asgard?" Odin asked, rather irritably.

"She is no mere mortal, Father," Thor frowned slightly, "Tyra is my sister, your daughter." Odin froze at this news, clearly taken by shock. I stepped slightly closer to Thor.

"I thought you told him that I was here?" I mumbled.

"I did. He was as unimpressed then as he is now."

"And when you told him I was here you failed to mention just who I am?" Thor looked at me a bit sheepishly and I sighed, shaking my head slightly before looking back at Odin.

"I do not have a daughter." He said, his voice completely flat, emotionless. My eyes narrowed slightly, but not enough for anyone else to notice.

"I assure you, Tyra is my sister. We share a parent. She is half Midgardian, half Asgardian. The humans have a way of checking these things and they tested it. Several times. There is no mistake." Thor sounded like he was straining to keep his tempter under control.

"And it's also certain that it's our father that we share. I have the same mitochondrial DNA as a human, and since Mitochondrial DNA only comes from the mother, then it's certain that I'm Asgardian on my dad's side," Thor looked around at me in mild confusion and I shook my head, "It's one of the few parts of biology I actually understand. Mitochondrial DNA is used in stuff to do with human evolution, don't ask me, I really don't know. Too confusing." Odin was giving me a similar look and I shrugged. None of us said anything for a moment, Odin obviously thinking quite hard. I shared a brief look with Thor, confused about what I should be doing, but he was clearly as unsure about that as I was.

"I would like to talk to her alone." Odin said, taking essentially everyone in the room by surprise. For a moment it looked like Thor was going to object, but then he just bowed his head.

"Of course, Father." Then turned, shooting me a look I couldn't quite find a word to describe, and left the room, followed by the few other people who had been in the room. Soon it was just me and Odin left. It was going to be interesting, I could tell that much. After all, he wasn't actually Odin... and if he figured out that I knew that, then I could be in big trouble.

"How old are you?" He asked suddenly, taking me by surprise.

"Almost 24."

"Where are you from?"

"You mean aside from Earth... Midgard, sorry," I shook my head, scolding myself for even briefly forgetting the name that the asgardians used for my home planet, "America. But, I'm guessing you already has a vague idea about that. Unless you met my mum somewhere else?" I asked, knowing that he couldn't answer that question without lying. He just watched me for a moment, unblinking as he clearly struggled with something.

"What are you doing here?"

"Thor wanted me to act as an ambassador between our worlds. At least until someone better qualified for the job could be found." There was no point in keeping anything from him, and I'd always been a bad liar anyway. Slowly he stood up and crossed over to me, stopping slightly too close for comfort.

"Why don't we both stop pretending?" He asked and I frowned, my heart beating a little faster.

"Sorry?"

"It's clear by the way you're acting you know I'm not who I seem."

"You've lost me." I struggled to hide my nervousness, but the fake Odin just smirked.

"If you believed you were talking to the real Odin then I could imagine you'd be stuttering a bit more, at the very least talking a bit quieter," Something in the back of my mind shifted and I started having to struggle to pay attention to what this guy was saying, trying to hold back the memory that was wanting to be remembered, "But you... You're acting like this is a perfectly normal occurrence, which gives me the impression that you know." For a moment I didn't say anything, didn't move, just wondering how I could get out of this mess. Hadn't been on Asgard for even a day and already I'd stuffed things up, terrific. Slowly I nodded, knowing there was no point in denying it.

"Yeah. I know you're not who you seem," I raised an eyebrow and smirked slightly, "Vaguely disappointed that you aren't using Velcro to keep the eyepatch on." I joked, getting a slightly smirk from the fake Odin.

"Do you know who I really am?" He asked, and I shook my head.

"No, but I doubt you're anyone nice. Not if the real Odin is missing. Where is he, by the way? I came all this way to meet him, it'd be a shame if I didn't."

"Don't worry about him. It's you that you should be worrying about." The illusion slowly vanished and there, standing in front of me, was someone who I knew all too well. Black hair, green and gold clothes, sly smirk... a longing for power... Loki. I had to fight not to take half a step back.

"You're dead." I muttered.

"Look pretty good, don't I?" He asked, holding out a hand to me, "You do shake hands on your planet, don't you?" He asked when I just looked at it, then flicked my eyes up to meet his and grudgingly held out my hand to shake his. When he released my hand I did take half a step back, something he didn't fail to notice, the smirk growing on his face.

"Why?" I asked, not quite sure where I was going with this question.

"Why what?"

"Why would you fake your own death? Why help Thor and then assume the throne in the..." I frowned, struggling to find the word, earning a strange look from Loki, "In the guise of your father," I looked back up at him, "What's the point?"

"He's not my father." Loki growled, turning his back on me.

"You're wrong." I muttered. Loki slowly turned and faced me side on.

"That man lied to me about who I was for most of my life. I only learnt of my true heritage not that long ago. So tell me, girl," He spat the word at me, "How is he my father?"

"He's more your father than mine," I replied, struggling to stay calm, "He was there for you all those years. Treated you as a son, loved you as a son. I know what it's like to not know your real family, I've been there. Maybe he's not your real father, but from the stories that Thor has told me about you, Frigga and Odin, you loved him, and you loved Frigga. If you could love her as your mother, why can't you love him as your father?" Loki smiled, laughing slightly.

"You know, for a human you aren't too stupid," He said, once again turning away from me and walking off a short distance, "She gave me answers when I asked for them. Odin, on the other hand, just went to sleep. How is that acting like a father to me?"

"Please, stop acting like you're the only one with daddy issues," I snapped, "Thor was lied to as well. I didn't know who I was for most of my life, either," I paused, suddenly realising something that seriously didn't put me at ease, "There are countless times that Odin could have made himself and my heritage known to me. But he didn't. You aren't as special as you think you are. People make mistakes, they always have. You've made a few of your own, I've made more than my fair share of them. You should forgive him." I knew that I should do the same, but even the thought of meeting Odin scared me, more than the thought that I was currently having a conversation with the very man that had tried to destroy my home, tried to rule my world.

"I owe that man nothing, why should I forgive him?" Loki snapped.

"It's not for him that you need to forgive him." I muttered.

"That makes no sense." He growled back and I shook my head.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Loki, we're more alike than you think. Both of us have been lied to by Odin, both of us grew up in families we didn't belong to and got hurt because of it," I paused, "Both of us ended up killing people because of the mistakes of others." But I knew the blame wasn't entirely on Odin, not even entirely on Hydra. I could fight the tech that used to be in my head, but I chose not to. Either that or didn't believe myself strong enough to. Either way, it was also partly my fault that so many died. They got killed by me, so there was no way I could escape the blame. I was guilty.

"I am nothing like you," Loki muttered, glaring at me again, "You're part human. You're heart bleeds for others, and all you feel is guilt. You never deserved to set foot in here." I raised my eyebrows.

"Not my fault I exist. Not entirely my fault I'm standing in front of you. And you never had to reveal yourself to me."

"Well, I figured it would be safe enough. Not like you're going to live long enough to tell anyone." Loki smirked and I felt my blood run cold. My hands clenched at my sides and the little memory at the back of my head started clawing at me to escape, but I couldn't let it. Not right now.

"You probably don't even need to kill me," My mouth acted without me even telling it to, "Considering I have plenty of memory problems. Can't even remember my family on bad days. Chances are I won't even be able to remember this whole conversation by tomorrow."

"Cute," Loki snarled, "You think I'm going to kill you now." I frowned, confused. Why wouldn't he kill me now? Wait much longer and I could have the chance to tell someone. Then he started walking towards me. I started stumbling backwards, somehow knowing that if he got much closer nothing good was going to happen. Unfortunately I didn't know the room too well and the gauntlets were blocking too much of my powers for me to rely on the air currents to find my way around without looking and soon I was trapped against the wall. To my surprise Loki didn't hurt me, just stroked my short hair, a small smirk on his lips.

"If you say anything to anyone about this," He started, a barely concealed threat on his voice, "I won't kill you, but everyone and everything that you have cared for. Do you understand?" He asked. I swallowed, hard, and glared at him. I knew there was no way I could get away with harming him, and he knew it too. That would just land me in even bigger trouble. I was out of options. Slowly I nodded, not at all happy about the decision. Loki slowly stepped away from me, the image of Odin reappearing. He walked out of the room and I sank to the floor, not even sure about what to think.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

Despite how many times Thor asked me, I couldn't tell him what 'Odin' and I had talked about, but he could tell by the way I acted whenever he was mentioned or I saw him that it couldn't have been anything good. He was worried about me, and I couldn't do anything to put his mind at ease. There was a banquet held the day after I had arrived, and Odin was sitting at one end of the hall, conversation with some people who I didn't recognise. I sat at the other end with Thor, keeping half an eye on Odin, the other half on whatever the meat that I was eating was. It looked a bit like mutton, but it certainly wasn't quite the same texture. I didn't even recognise the vegetables that were with it.

"I think I now know how you felt when you first went to Earth." I said to Thor, who just grinned.

"It was strange," He admitted, "But I am glad that I did."

"Because of Jane?" I teased, smiling slightly as I popped a strip of the meat in my mouth, chewing it slowly as Thor turned slightly red, not very noticeably though.

"Yes," He admitted, "But also because I wouldn't have met many of my friends if I hadn't. Certainly wouldn't have found that I have a sister."

"Ya know... It's really weird looking like I'm a similar-ish age to some of the people here, but knowing that I'm the youngest by a few thousand years. And knowing that my half-brother is a few thousand years older than me while my foster brother is only five years older than me."

"I know a similar feeling." Thor ruffled my hair and I leaned away from him, pulling a face.

"Don't touch my hair." At that moment a man with gold hair, looking to be a similar age to Thor sat down on one side of me, a red headed man with a very bushy beard sitting on the other side of Thor, an Asian looking man pulling up a chair and sitting next to the golden haired man, while a dark haired woman came and stood behind Thor. I looked around in surprise, confused about why they'd all come over at the same time and who the hell they were.

"Are you going to introduce us, Thor?" The golden haired man asked, watching me closely. I felt my cheeks going slightly red as I looked at my brother. Thor just shook his head, laughing slightly.

"Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg, and Sif, this is my half-sister, Tyra, of Midgard." I glanced around at the golden haired guy.

"I'm Fandral," He introduced himself, taking my hand in his and planting a kiss on it, "A pleasure to meet you." He smiled.

"Ah... like...wise?"

"I am Volstagg," The bearded man said, and I smiled slightly, noticing how loudly he talked, "And that man there is Hogun." Hogun nodded and I nodded back.

"Hi," Then I looked back at Volstagg, "You know... shave the beard, get a bit of a haircut... and you'd kinda look a bit like Ray Stevenson." He looked utterly confused.

"Who?" Even Thor looked slightly confused.

"Ah... He's an actor on Earth... um... Midgard," I explained, then looked at the woman, "Lady Sif?" I asked and she nodded.

"Indeed."

"Huh... you know, in Norse mythology you and Thor are actually married and Loki cuts your hair off as a prank. Also, in mythology, your hair is gold," Both Thor and Sif looked slightly put off by what I had just said and I couldn't help but laugh, "Man, I wish I had my camera right about now." Even Hogun, Volstagg and Fandral were joining in, though I doubted they knew what a camera was. Sif was blushing slightly, and Thor was just looking completely confused by what I'd said, but neither of them replied.

"You Midgardians have some... Strange ideas..." Sif eventually managed to get out.

"Oh yeah. You don't even want to know half the Greek mythology. That stuff is just messed up."

"What does your mythology say about Odin?" Fandral asked and I glanced once more over at where the false Odin stood, talking to a man with only one hand. I frowned slightly.

"Not too sure if you want an answer to that one. He is your king after all."

"You've said this much, why not a little more?" Hogun asked.

"Well..."

"Go on!" Volstagg pretty much shouted and I thought for a moment, frowning slightly while I tried to remember all I had to about Odin.

"According to one source I read, he's the patron god of rulers and outcasts, doesn't care much for... um..." I closed my eyes and turned my head slightly to one side, mentally scrolling through the article, "Communal values, like justice, fairness, that kind of thing. People also hate him a bit for being a 'fickle trickster' I think were the words used..." I opened my eyes and looked at everyone around me. Volstagg threw back his head and roared with laughter, Hogun smiling slightly while Fandral chuckled quietly. Thor just shook his head, smiling slightly, and Sif looked like she was still trying to get over what I had said about her and Thor.

"What about Thor?" She asked suddenly, an evil gleam in her eye and I grinned.

"He has a goat drawn chariot." I replied and Thor pulled a face.

"A what?" He asked.

"Goat. Drawn. Chariot."

"I think that would be a bit of a struggle." Sif joked, taking a sip of a drink and I shrugged.

"Dunno. I don't really know if you have goats here or how big they are. Markhors are around 42 inches at the shoulder I think, and Mountain Goats are about a metre tall. And goats are pretty strong. Besides, it's not like Thor would be riding them, he'd be riding a chariot being pulled by them."

"How can you have this much knowledge?" Fandral asked, drawing my attention back to him and I shrugged.

"I have no life." He looked confused about this.

"If you have no life, then how are you here?" He asked.

"Ah..." I thought for a moment, "Oh! You think that by no life I mean that I'm dead?" He frowned.

"Is that not what you mean?"

"No, it's a... sort of expression back where I come from. If you don't have a life you don't go out and do stuff often, you don't do much. Like in my case I never really go out with friends, just sit at home on the computer researching giant goat breeds and Mythology."

"But you're still doing something with your life. You are educating yourself in those fields and becoming an expert."

"If I wanted to be an expert in those fields then it'd be a matter of going off to university or something and getting a proper education in them. As it stands, I never actually went to further my education after leaving high school." Thor looked slightly confused about this.

"I thought you worked for S.H.I.E.L.D?" He asked and I nodded.

"Yeah, but that started when I was 21-22 type age. I think... might have been a bit earlier. I was quite young anyway. With the blackouts I didn't see the point in furthering my education."

"Blackouts?" Sif asked and I shook my head.

"It's complicated," I glanced back over to the man with only one hand, still talking to Odin, "Hey, is that Týr?" I asked. The others shared looks and Thor nodded.

"Yes, he is."

"Huh... cool."

"How did you know?" Sif asked.

"You kidding?" I looked around at her, "My foster parents named me after him pretty much. The Norse mythology version of how he lost his hand was my favourite story for years. The creepiest bit is that something similar happened to me... except for the losing my hand part and it wasn't a giant wolf that bit me, it was just a giant dog. Wrist hasn't been the same since though."

"Would you like to meet him?" Volstagg asked and I shook my head, smiling slightly.

"And say what? 'Hi, I'm Tyra. I was named after you and so stalked you on wiki for years, will you be my friend?' Somehow I doubt that'll go down too well."

"There will be time enough for her to meet him. I believe that meeting the warriors three and Lady Sif will be enough excitement for her for one night." Thor put in and I nodded, slightly grateful.

"I think I'm gonna turn in for the night," I muttered, feeling one of my headaches coming on, "It was nice meeting you all and I hope to see you around some time." I smiled as I stood up.

"Have a good rest, Lady Tyra of Midgard." Fandral said and I smiled at him.

"Night guys." The others all bade me good night and I headed off down the halls to my room once more, the noise from the feast echoing down the empty corridors. Thankfully it wasn't too loud in my room and I poured myself a cup of water from a jug in my room and popped one of my pills, downing it in one go before getting changed in a nightgown and crawling into my bed, waiting for sleep to take me.

* * *

"I like her," Fandral told the others, rather thoughtfully, "She's an interesting person."

"Do not even think about it, Fandral," Thor scolded, eyeing his friend up, clearly not trusting his intentions towards his younger sister, "She is but a child compared to us and seems to age at a much faster rate."

"The same goes for your Jane Foster, you realise." Volstagg put forward, earning a look from Thor.

"When did this become about me?" He asked.

"It isn't. And I agree on Thor with this one. Tyra is young, she should be with a human. Her rate of aging seems more similar to theirs." Sif put forward, Thor shifting uncomfortably about where this conversation had ended up.

"If it would put your mind at ease, Thor, I was never thinking about it." Fandral admitted, smiling slightly. Thor nodded, not saying anything. He looked over at his father, thinking.

"What is it?" Sif asked him.

"Something happened between Father and Tyra. I do not know what and she refuses to talk about it."

"They hardly know each other. No one even knew of her existence until recently, they are bound to find it difficult to be around one another for a while." Sif said, trying to ease the prince's mind. He didn't respond, then shook the feeling off and helped himself to another drink, shooting a grin at his friends.

"Let us not think about what worries us but enjoy the night." He said, raising his tankard high.

"I'll drink to that." Volstagg grinned, chugging his own drink down before pouring himself another.

* * *

Thor walked to where Heimdall stood waiting at the opening of the bifrost, looking out over the stars, his sword held in front of him.

"How is she?" Thor asked, Heimdall just smiling slightly.

"She misses you, and is still searching for you. But seems a little annoyed." Thor frowned.

"Why?"

"When you know the mind of a woman, then you really are doomed." Heimdall replied, not explaining at all why Jane Foster was mildly irritated with Thor. The asgardian prince just smiled, shaking his slightly before sobering.

"And what of Tyra?" He asked.

"She still struggles to come to terms with what has happened with her, though she is good at hiding it."

"Is there nothing I can do to help?"

"Not unless she wants you to."

"There has to be something." Heimdall shook his head.

"What she has done weighs on her. She fears that if she talks about it, no one will see her the same." Thor sighed.

"I thought that bringing her here would help, getting her away from where it all happened. I fear it might have just made things harder for her."

"She is strong. She will manage." Heimdall said, trying his best to put the prince's fears to rest. Thor shook his head.

"It is like Father doesn't want her around. I knew she didn't really want to meet him, but I thought that he would like to meet her at the very least." Heimdall frowned, but Thor didn't seem to notice.

"You should get some rest, my prince," Heimdall told him, "Perhaps a new day shall bring some peace between the two." Thor smiled, then bowed his head slightly to the guardian of the bifrost.

"Thank you, Heimdall." Then he turned and left, Heimdall continuing to watch over the stars, lost in his own thoughts. Something clearly wasn't right. Odin had come to him many times before, first asking after the woman he had met on his last journey to Midgard, a young American named Jeanie Williams, and then more about the child that she bore. He had come many times, wondering how the young child was doing. He had wanted to meet her more than anything, but thought it would be better if he stayed out of her life, sometimes sending his ravens to watch her. And yet now he was wanting nothing to do with her? It wasn't right. He turned his vision to where Tyra was, curled up asleep in her bed, her brow slightly creased in a frown, her fingers twitching slightly. He'd seen this before, though he never knew quite what her dreams were about, it was clearly nothing good. Her eyes flicked open and she sat up slowly, her arms shaking slightly, sweat gleaming on her forehead. He felt sorry for the girl. She's been through so much already, and now on top of all that she couldn't even get a decent night's sleep.

* * *

 _It was dark, the wind outside howling. I could feel its anger, its hatred, but I didn't know what that would feel like if it was me. I was just empty, feeling nothing as I looked down at the family of three, the young girl possibly being about 5 or 6 years old. Her mother was holding her close, trying to hide her eyes, but not managing very well. Her husband had a cut on his head bleeding profusely, the dark liquid already halfway down his cheek. His eyes showed how worried he was, but also how angry he felt and how willing he was to sacrifice himself for his family. Suddenly he stood up and charged at me, a knife appearing in his hand. Where he had gotten the knife, I didn't know. It hardly mattered. I stepped out of his way and pushed him past, sending him stumbling forward, but he recovered fairly quickly and turned to face me once more. My only companion stood in the doorway, watching me but not getting involved. The Schatten was there only to watch, and there was a part of me that doubted that even if it wanted to help me it couldn't. The man threw himself at me once more, but this time I didn't dodge him, instead stepping towards him and grabbing his wrists, my knee connecting with his groin, sending him falling to the ground in pain, tears streaming down his face. I let go of his wrists and quietly pulled out a hand gun, pointing it at him. He didn't even look up at me. I didn't give him a chance to, pulling the trigger three times, the woman letting out a sob and the child screaming. Blood seeped out from the now motionless man's head, pooling on the floor. Slowly I turned and faced the woman and child, pulling the trigger twice more, getting the woman in the head. She fell away from her child and my eyes met the girl's. She didn't know what was happening, tears forming in her dark green eyes. My hand started shaking and I felt sick. She was just a child. She didn't deserve any of this. My cheeks felt damp and I frowned, confused. Slowly I lowered the gun and reached up with my other hand to touch my cheek. Maybe I didn't have to kill her... she was just a child. She had done nothing wrong. I started to turn to leave, but then my doubt vanished and the gun shot up once more, my finger pulling the trigger once more without me even looking. Then I left the destruction I had caused behind me, vanishing into the howling wind outside._

* * *

I opened my eyes, feeling the tears on my face with both my powers and skin, though it was hard to tell where the tears started and the sweat stopped. I pushed myself up on shaking arms, feeling more sick than I had in a long time. That was almost worse for me than knowing I killed my own parents. I held one of my shaking hands in front of me and looked at it, not thinking anything before I silently reached out and picked up the gauntlets that Thor had given me, slipping them on and allowing myself to enjoy the quiet without all the extra input from the air and tears on my face. There was nothing else for me to do, so I just sat there for a while before getting out of my bed and picking up the cloak I had been given, slipping it on and stepping out into the corridor, just walking around in the darkness, letting the air currents tell me when to turn. No matter where I turned, the girl's eyes haunted me, never leaving my mind. Eventually I found myself outside on a balcony overlooking the city, the light of the moon reflecting off the sea and the buildings, somehow calming me slightly. It was beautiful. In that quiet I let the tears fall. I covered my mouth when a small sob escaped me, just letting my body shake slightly with my cries. No one would see me, no one would know about this. There was no reason why I shouldn't let myself cry. Just this once. So I did.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

I woke up the next day when the sun was already quite high in the sky, though I would have slept for longer if Thor hadn't shaken me roughly awake, clearly stressed. I groaned, pushing myself into a sitting position.

"What's up?" I asked, my voice groggy and thick.

"Get dressed." He ordered, walking over to my door. I frowned, kicking my sheets off.

"Thor, what's going on?" I asked, heading over to where my Asgardian clothes had been thrown when I'd discarded them the night before for my nightgown. Thor didn't look around.

"Our father has ordered you to be arrested." I stopped briefly before resuming getting changed.

"For what?" I asked.

"He didn't say. Just hurry. I have to get you to the bifrost and back home before he realises." It didn't take me long to get changed, this time also wearing the cloak and pulling its hood up to hide my short hair. I stood beside Thor when I was ready to go, my gauntlets on my wrists. He looked down at me and I nodded, receiving a nod in reply before we left the room, Thor leading me down a different route to get out of the castle.

"Ya know, I'm vaguely disappointed," I started, receiving a confused look from Thor, "I had wanted to try climbing this thing." I joked.

"Now is not the time for jokes, Tyra." Thor growled and I rolled my eyes, but didn't say anything else. It took longer to reach the bifrost than it had to get from the bifrost to the castle, but that wasn't a surprise. Now there were people looking for me, now we were having to take back routes to get to where I could be safe. Heimdall was there waiting for us when we arrived at the bifrost, his eyes connecting with mine. There was something in them that I couldn't quite place, something that wasn't there when I first met him. Not anger, or not directed at me anyway... it was almost like he was being strangely protective of me. I didn't understand it.

"Thank you for this, Heimdall." Thor said and Heimdall looked at the prince for the first time since we arrived.

"You have no reason to thank me. I am simply doing what I must." He replied.

"When Father finds out about this –" Thor started, but Heimdall cut him off.

"Leave me to deal with Odin," His eyes flicked once more to me, "You should go. Before anyone finds you here." He suggested, rather forcefully, and I knew he was talking to Thor, not me. Thor nodded, then took me by the shoulders and spun me to face him.

"Heimdall will send you somewhere, not even I will know where."

"What?" Only now did I let my nerves show on my face, "He'll send me back home, surely?"

"It is safer for you and Earth if you return the long way. I am sorry Tyra, but you aren't going home straight away." Thor really did look sorry, and I bit the inside of my lip and nodded. Then he pulled me into a rough hug which I returned with much less vigour. Eventually he stepped back, ruffling my hair with a small smile on his face, though it was very obviously strained.

"Be safe."

"Eh, you know me," I grinned, "I'm always taking unnecessary risks."

"Well this time please don't."

"No promises. Now get your arse out of here, before you get in as much shit as I am." He nodded and reluctantly headed off. I slowly turned back to Heimdall, pulling my cloak closer around me. He was busy opening the bifrost by now, but he had something else to say to me.

"Odin would never have ordered your arrest." He muttered and I leaned my head to the side slightly.

"Well, clearly you were wrong about that one." My heart was pounding in my chest. What was Heimdall saying? He slowly looked around at me, his eyes reflecting how sincere he was.

"I am not mistaken," He stated, perfectly calm, "There is no way that my king would order you harmed in any way."

"He never cared about me before, why would he now?" I challenged.

"He asked me to watch you," I froze as Heimdall calmly turned back to the bifrost, a pillar of light erupting from it, "You must go. Now. While you still have the chance."

"Wait, you can't just drop a bombshell like that on me and then expect me to just... leave!"

"If you don't want to be caught then you must." I knew he was right, but I still had so many questions for him. I looked around, vaguely confused when I didn't see Thor anywhere. Clearly he had a ride somewhere so he wouldn't be so visible on the bridge on the way back. Where I could imagine he would have been if he had walked on the bridge was a small group of guards rushing towards us. I mentally swore, looking back around at Heimdall.

"You can't tell anyone that Odin isn't who he seems to be," I implored, "More than you realise rests on it," We both knew I didn't have time to explain any further, "Please, Heimdall." He nodded slowly.

"Of course, my princess." I scoffed, smiling slightly.

"I ain't no princess. I'm a bastard, remember?"

"It is my hope that you shall someday be Crown Princess of Asgard," I didn't quite know how to feel about that, "And your father felt the same," That made me even less sure, "Now go." I nodded, stepping closer to the bifrost. I'd only travelled by it once before, and that was with Thor. I knew where I would be going. Now I was on my own, going I had no clue where. I glanced back over my shoulder.

"Thank you." I said, receiving a nod in response before I stepped into the bifrost and was sent spinning to I had no idea where. I closed my eyes and waited for the sensation of falling to disappear before opening them again, looking around. I was in what seemed to be a rather busy city, hidden in one of the back alleys. I cautiously stepped forward, peering out into the crowds. It took a moment for me to take all the different people in. Growing up on Earth meant I was used to people of all different skin colours... but nothing had prepared me for people with blue skin, green skin, feathers... beaks, you name it. I wasn't prepared for this. Some spoke languages that I didn't have a hope of understand, others that I could possibly work out from what languages I had learnt from Hydra, and (something I found vaguely surprising) English. I stepped into the crowds, thankful for the gauntlets, knowing that if I could feel the vibrations in the air and ground like I would if I had nothing to help control them, then I would probably collapse quite quickly from sensory overloads. It had happened before. No one seemed to notice the one woman in Asgardian dress walking through the crowds, at least not at first. I was one of the seemingly few people to notice the bifrost open once more. I scowled, pulling my hood lower as the Asgardian guards streamed out into the crowds. I had to get as far from them as I could without being seen, so my only thoughts were on trying to stay as hard to spot as possible. I didn't manage for very long before one of them yelled out, making me turn around and look at them, seeing the person who called out pointing straight at me. There was no way there could have been a mistake. I whirled around again, this time breaking into a run and slipping past people where I could, pushing them out of the way where I couldn't, even jumping over stalls where there were some. It wasn't easy in a skirt as long as the one I was in, but I managed it, reaching out with my mind and calling up a strong wind to add to the commotion, somehow managing to make my way over to what looked roughly like some kind of transport. Not that I knew anything about it or how it worked. But I it was somewhere to hide at the very least. My chest was heaving from the run and sudden chase, my eyesight slightly foggy from using my powers. Somehow it had been easier to do that than I had expected, less energy being used up. I looked down at my gauntlets, running my fingers over the gems and silently thanking Thor again.

* * *

I didn't know how long I sat there for, but thankfully no one came looking for me in the ship and I slowly dropped the wind back to its normal, letting it do what it wanted before standing up and moving over to what looked like a control panel and starting to look at the different buttons and what looked like a version of a steering wheel.

"Doesn't look too hard to figure out..." I muttered to myself. Someone was an idiot, leaving this thing unattended and open. Though I doubted there were many times I had been more thankful for someone being an idiot. Then the unmistakable sound of some kind of weapon warming up behind me and I froze, closing my eyes and cursing silently.

"If you don't want your head blown off I'd turn step away from the controls and turn around." Someone said. They spoke with a masculine voice, so forgive me for being prepared for a human man. I did as they said, stepping away before turning to look at them, blinking a couple of times and frowning when I saw a bipedal racoon pointing some sort of gun I had never seen before at me.

"You really think we'd just leave our ship unattended?" The racoon asked me and my eyes widened slightly, taking half a step back, "Hey! No moving!" He snapped.

"OK... talking rodent... am I sure I didn't just bump my head or something?" I muttered, reaching up and fingering the back of my head, not at all comforted when I didn't find a bump or blood.

"You act like you weren't expecting this," The racoon continued, "But did you really expect us to be this stupid?" I shook myself out of my shock and raised an eyebrow.

"You really want me to answer that?" I asked.

"Oh, please do!" The racoon replied, rather sarcastically.

"I thought you were dumber. And I'm also reasonably certain by the way that you're acting, I was right to think that. You're acting way too defensive, like you have something to make up for. Like leaving your ship unguarded. How far off am I?" The racoon just narrowed his eyes at me and growled. I scoffed, stepping further away from the control panel and leaning against the wall, watching him closely.

"Rocket, leave the poor girl alone," A green skinned woman with black and pinkish hair ordered, stepping inside and heading over the controls without even looking at me, "She seems tired enough as it is." I looked from the racoon – Rocket – to the woman, mildly curious about her. The way she walked reminded me a bit of Nat, with purpose, but also a certain... something. Damn, forgot the word. Surety? Self assurance? Something like that. Like she knew where she was meant to be and no one was going to shift her from that spot. But she also seemed to always be on her guard. Which told me she was most likely an assassin-type person.

"She's the one that broke into the ship!" Rocket objected.

"Ah, actually..." I paused when he glared at me again and rolled my eyes, "The door was already open." The green woman looked around at Rocket, clearly unimpressed.

"HEY!" A new male voice interrupted before the green woman could say anything, "Enough fighting! This is why you were left behind to start with." The guy looked down at Rocket, annoyed. It took me by surprise how... human... he was. The other guy with him was grey and looked kinda funny, but not like someone I would like to get on the bad side of. I closed my eyes, silently cursing as I ran my hands down my face. Of all the places Heimdall could have sent me...

"How did you get here?" I opened my eyes and looked at the grey guy, whose eyes were narrowed slightly in my direction.

"Intruder window." I replied, though not seriously. The human-looking guy looked away, hiding a smile. The grey guy just frowned.

"We have no widows that can be opened." He replied.

"Oh for..." I sighed, "It was a joke. I walked in through the door which was wide open when I was running from a bunch of guys who were chasing me. Ok? I need to get back home, which is who knows where because I don't even know where I am." I snapped, glaring at the grey guy. The human-looking guy stepped forward, holding his hand out to signal the grey guy to stop and the racoon to put down his gun. Rocket just peered at me, grudgingly putting his gun down before taking a couple of steps forward.

"You sound like Quill." He said, in a not too friendly manner. I frowned.

"How can I sound like a feather you dip in ink?" I asked and Rocket glared at me.

"You make fun of everyone like this, or just us 'rodents'?" He asked.

"Woah, grumpy much? I'm not making fun of anyone. Because Quill makes for a funny thing to call someone."

"Rocket, just... let me handle this, OK?" The human guy said, and Rocket grudgingly stepped back, "I'm Peter Quill, but you may know me as something else."

"I highly doubt that."

"Star-lord." He looked at me rather dramatically and I scoffed.

"Yeah, I'm not calling you that, Pete."

"Oh, come on!"

"Sorry, but it ain't happening. You don't look much like a lord, and don't seem to act much like one, so... not calling you it." Peter sighed. He had darkish brown hair and was reasonably attractive I supposed, but that hardly mattered. He seemed nicer that the not-so-little green alien chick, the racoon, and the big grey muscular not-quite blob.

"The racoon is Rocket, who you've already met," Peter pointed at the racoon and I nodded, "The big guy is Drax, don't use metaphors with him, he won't understand it."

"Um... OK..."

"That's Gamora, don't get on her bad side, she will kill you without a second thought."

"Kill without second thought, got it." I smiled, folding my arms quietly. Then, just as I thought I was getting used to all these aliens, a little walking twig jumped off Peters shoulder and ran across the floor to Rocket. I froze, the smile vanishing as I just watched it. Peter followed my line of sight to the thing.

"That's Groot," He explained, "He was Rocket's muscle until shit hit the fan and got blown up, regrowing from a stick."

"I am Groot!" The little thing said, rather proudly as it looked at me.

"No, no talking until I get my head around this, understood?" He looked so sad, but nodded. After a few moment I took in and released a deep breath, running my finger over the gauntlets again to try to calm myself down, then I nodded.

"OK, now you can talk."

"I am Groot."

"Yeah, I got that the first time you said it."

"I am Groot."

"Aha... fascinating. And slightly..." I frowned, "What's the word... ironic? Something like that."

"How is that ironic?" Rocket looked a bit insulted by this and I looked at him.

"Groot. Say it slightly differently, as in... how you would if you were speaking Dutch... it means Big. And that... um... yeah, anyway, is kinda tiny."

"Hey! He is my friend!" Rocket snapped.

"Hey, buddy... give me time to process. He... is a talking twig that seems able to say three words in one order. You, are a talking, bipedal racoon. She is the definition of the stereotype alien, minus her not being a tiny green alien. He," Pointing at Drax, "I don't even know what he is. The only person I'm used to is Peter here. So, before you start expecting me to take all of you in my stride, give me one night of good sleep. Or two nights not so good sleep, take your pick. Until then, let me be a little freaked out. Got it?" Rocket didn't say anything and Gamora stepped forward.

"You are not from around here, are you?" She asked. I scoffed.

"I wasn't from where I just came from. I'm not used to all this space... alien... stuff."

"You're from Earth..." Peter looked at me, slightly amazed, and I looked at him, nodding slowly after a moment.

"Yeah."

"Where on Earth?" He asked.

"Um..." I though for a moment, closing my eyes, "America. New York, to be exact. Well... before that somewhere else that I have temporarily forgotten the name of." He didn't seem quite sure how to respond to that.

"If you are from Earth, then why are you in Asgardian clothes?" Gamora asked and I looked around at her.

"Because I was just there on business before someone issued an arrest warrant on me." Rocket grinned and half ran over to an almost tablet looking thing and pointed it at me, his face lighting up. He laughed.

"Oh yeah," He started, "She has a good bounty on her."

"Seriously?" I raised my eyebrows, "How much am I worth?"

"50,000 units."

"That good?" I asked, looking at Peter.

"Seriously? That's more than I was worth!" He objected, heading over to Rocket and checking that he was reading the thing right, "What did you do to piss whoever it was off so much?" He looked up at me.

"Figured something out that I shouldn't have, I suspect."

"So you're one of those people, are you?" Rocket asked, "Always sticking their noses in where they don't belong."

"Trust me, this was a complete accident," I paused, thinking it over, "Look, I really need to get home, so just... do you guys know how to get to Earth from here?"

"It'd be easy enough to do... but why would we?" Rocket asked, "We hand you over to the Asgardians and we become rich!"

"Hand me over and I die," I replied, coldly, "If I die, then I can think of a small group of not exactly normal humans who would want to hunt down everyone who had a hand in my death."

"Ha! Humies can't do jack squat against us."

"The Avengers could," I paused, enjoying the look in Rocket's eye for a moment, "And unfortunately for you, I know them quite well."

"You're not just any random Terran, are you?" Peter asked me and I shook my head.

"Nope. I'm kinda a back bencher for the Avengers." There was silence between us.

"What's your name?"

"I didn't say?" Peter shook his head, "Huh... coulda sworn I had. I'm Tyra. Tyra Jones."

"It's nice to meet you, Tyra." He nodded his head in my direction before going and sitting in the driver's seat and closing the door. I frowned.

"Does this mean you're going to help me, or send me back to Asgard?" I asked, uncertain.

"Yes." Rocket answered, folding his arms.

"Wasn't asking you."

"We're not handing her over, Rocket," Peter said, flicking a couple of switches, "I think it's about time I see my old home again."

"Thanks," I paused, then frowned, "Wait... You're from Earth?"

"Yep," He grinned back at me, "Now you might want to get buckled in, kiddies. We're going out." The others quietly went about finding seats, but I had no idea what was going on. Drax reached out and hauled me to a seat, forcing me to sit down. I nodded my thanks and quickly grabbed something to hold onto as we took off.

* * *

I stood staring out into space, literally, just lost in thought. I was thinking about how I should really ask if there was anything I could get changed into, Asgardian clothes weren't exactly all that inconspicuous and a dress really wasn't the most practical thing to go on the run in, and I only had one other outfit that I managed to grab before running off. And I was worried. There was nothing stopping Loki from going after my friends in the hope that I would go running back to help them, he wasn't exactly going to listen to Thor. He'd find some way to make it seem like Odin starting a war against Earth, all over me. I bit my bottom lip, trying to figure out where I stood.

"Hey, Tyra," I looked around at the sound of my name, then down at Rocket, "You good?" I smiled at him briefly, then looked back out at the endless stars around us.

"A week ago I was sitting at home, my biggest worry was about getting enough sleep... well, that, who the hell Phoenix is, and keeping Barnes and Steve away from each other. Now I'm on the run, my life is on the line, and so are the lives of all my friends," I looked back down at him, "You think I'm good? Try absolutely fabulous."

"Whatever you know must be really bad, huh?" He jumped up on a seat next to me so he didn't have to look up so far.

"I honestly don't know what it is." I frowned.

"What?"

"I mean... I know what it is, but I don't actually know if it's bad or not..." I shook my head, "I'm not allowed to talk about it."

"We're in the middle of space!" Rocket motioned to the endless stars outside, "No one's gonna hear you out here."

"With magic involved, I wouldn't be so sure," I sighed, "Whatever's going on, I'll handle it."

"You don't have to handle it on your own, surely?"

"For someone who held some sort of over powered gun to my head, you sure do seem to care a lot about my welfare."

"No I don't!" Rocket objected, making me chuckle quietly, "I just want to know what secret is worth 50,000 units."

"What's the worst secret you can think of?" I asked him. He thought for a moment.

"The plans for some kind of weapon of mass destruction."

"Ha! I don't need plans to come up with something like that. Just... give me a week or two and the right tech."

"You need a week? Try two hours."

"I'd like to see you put you money where your mouth is."

"Why would he put his money where his mouth is? What would be the purpose?" Drax asked, walking over with a confused frown on his face. I shook my head slowly.

"It's a figure of speech..." I sighed, "I mean that I'd like to actually see him do it with money put into the equation. You know, he loses he gives me so much, I lose I give him so much. Sort of. I'm really not the best person to have explaining this stuff."

"You think I can't do it?" Rocket looked slightly indignant.

"No, I don't," I shrugged, "Even with all the tech that is out here, I don't think that you could. There are so many variables to take into consideration. What are you trying to wipe out, who are you trying to wipe out... How much whatever are you trying to destroy. Two hours just seems like it'd be impossible."

"He's made a bomb that could take out a small moon in less time." Peter said, stepping into the conversation, and I looked down at Rocket, vaguely impressed.

"You're joking..."

"Wish I was."

"He's a racoon."

"A racoon who is very good at destroying things." Gamora replied. I crouched down and Rocket sat on the seat so our eyes were at about the same height. I slowly reached out a hand and scratched him just behind the ear.

"What are you – " Then he fell silent, finding that he actually quite enjoyed the feeling. I smirked as he closed his eyes, leaning into my hand and I reached out and picked him up, completely taking him by surprise as I held him sort of like someone would hold a baby, gently scratching his belly.

"H-hey! Put me down!" He started objecting, his eyes flying open as he struggled, but I didn't let go, just kept on rubbing his belly through his jumpsuit thing. Slowly he relaxed again, his eyes half closing. Drax and Gamora looked on in absolute wonder, but Peter was too busy watching where he was flying.

"How are you doing that?"

"I am Groot?" A little Groot suddenly appeared on my shoulder, looking down at his friend, wonder on his little face. I looked round at him and smiled.

"You want a go?" I asked him.

"I am Groot!" He pulled a face, shaking his head before going back to looking at Rocket while I rubbed the racoon belly.

"What is this sorcery?" Drax asked, reaching out a finger and poking Rocket on the belly.

"Hey!" Rocket's eyes shot open, fury reflected in them.

"Shh, it's OK. Just relax." I went back to rubbing his belly and he slowly relaxed again. I looked up at Drax and shrugged.

"What? What's going on?" Peter asked, looking around, his eyes widening as he took in the picture before him. He flicked a switch and stood up, heading over to us. He looked down at the very smug looking Rocket, then at me, then Rocket, then me again.

"You broke my explosives expert." I grinned.

"No I didn't. Soon as I stop he'll be back to normal, I'm sure of it. Maybe a little embarrassed," I chuckled, "But he'll be back to the cranky racoon you know and love."

"Love might be going a bit far." Peter objected.

"I am Groot."

"So how are you doing that?" Gamora repeated and I looked over at her.

"I'm generally quite good with animals, and he's no different really. He's just a talking bipedal racoon. He likes a belly rub as much as the next fuzzy little creature," I looked back down at Rocket and bopped him on the nose. He shook his head and opened his eyes, "I'm gonna put you down now." I told him, moving him around so I could place him back on the chair. He just looked at me, clearly not trusting me anymore.

"Never do that again." He growled. I smirked.

"Don't lie to yourself, you liked it."

"Did not!"

"I am Groot."

"I'm not lying!"

"I am Groot." Groot looked around at me and I looked at him. His little hand was pointing at Rocket and his face disapproving.

"I know he's lying, don't worry." Groot's little face lit up and I scratched the top of his head. Rocket looked like he'd just been betrayed, though I wasn't sure who he felt betrayed by.

"You understand him too?" Peter asked, clearly confused.

"Not really, but that one had a pretty obvious meaning," I gently picked Groot up and placed him on Rocket's shoulder, then looked back out the window, "How long do you think it'll take to get to Earth from here?"

"A few days? Depends on a couple of things." Peter shrugged.

"Like?"

"How many people attack us to get at you. How many people attack us to kill us," I looked around at them, obviously surprised, "You didn't think we'd take a wanted woman on board if we weren't already in a heap of shit, did you?"

"Honestly hadn't really thought about it."

"Now you know that you're with a bunch of crims you still want to be here?" Rocket asked, still not looking top happy.

"Mmm... I'm cool with it," Rocket looked slightly put off and a small smile tugged at my face, "Why did you let me come, anyway?"

"There aren't many asgardians out here," Gamora explained, "It was mostly just curiosity."

"So... you let me come with you based on what I'm wearing?" I laughed, "Wow, never thought that what I wore would be so important to my survival. Clearly fashion does matter." They looked at me in confusion or, in Peters case, amusement. I just shook my head, looking back out the window. Slowly the others walked off, leaving just me and Peter.

"Come on," He said, tapping me on the shoulder, "I'll show you where you're gonna sleep." I nodded and followed him down to the belly of the ship.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

 _I was twisted around, my face slammed into the wall. There was nothing I could do but tap out. The Hydra agent watching sighed, annoyed. The man I was sparring turned around and I stood straight, rolling my shoulder to try and get it in a comfortable position again. I looked around at Barnes, trying not to be too put off by the blank look in his eye._

 _"Again, Schönheit?" Our keeper snapped, annoyed beyond reason, "You need to stop just relying on your fighting ability, use your powers!"_

 _"I would if I knew how." I snapped back. Our keeper stormed forwards, slapping me hard, sending my head snapping around uncomfortably. I rubbed my cheek, refusing to let them see me cry. Barnes didn't do anything, but it looked like something changed inside him. Slowly I looked back around at the bastard keeping an eye on us and spat at him. He flinched back, then rubbed the spit from his eye._

 _"Soldat," He commanded, "Vzyat' yeye obratno v svoyu komnatu." I looked from him to Barnes as the ex-Howling Commando stepped towards me and roughly grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back. I didn't make a sound, just spun myself around uncomfortably and landed a surprisingly sold kick, taking him by surprise, even sending him toppling back a couple of steps. Our keeper stepped back through a door, locking it, leaving me facing Barnes. For a couple of seconds we just stood there, then he started fighting back, forcing me to block a barrage of blows. It was all I could do. He moved too fast, I couldn't find the right time to fight back, couldn't see any opening. He picked me up and flung me to the side like I was nothing, just a toy in a Rottweiler's mouth. Slowly I pushed myself upright, coughing, struggling to breathe. I didn't even notice what was happening, a human seeming to form out of nothing and placing itself between me and Barnes before fighting him off, then placing its hand over his mouth and seeming to draw the air out of his lungs, causing him to collapse on the ground._

 _"No!" I pretty much yelled. The... thing... dematerialised, leaving Barnes gasping for air. I stood up and rushed over to him, falling to the ground next to him. Slowly I reached out, placing my hand on his metal arm. I knew it was a dumb idea. He'd been given an order, he was going to obey. But I couldn't stop myself._

 _"Are you OK?" I asked. Slowly he looked up at me, but he didn't seem to be thinking about anything, let alone obeying orders. But he didn't say anything. Just looked at me. Then his hand shot out and formed a fist around my throat, leaving me gasping for air._

* * *

I woke with tears on my face. I just wanted to roll over and pretend that nothing had ever happened, but I didn't want to go back to sleep to face another dream like that one. Slowly I sat up, placing my bare feet on the floor and resting my head in my hands. I was tired, but there was no way I was going to go back to sleep. I stood up, crossing over to my small pack and grabbing a shirt from it, slipping it on so I was more decently dressed, also grabbing some pants. Kevlar, Nat castoffs. Then I slipped out of my small room and headed back up so I could have a better look at where we were going. There was no one at the wheel, we were just sitting in space, and I could really take in the beauty of it. Darkness, just some spots of light to break it, ass far as the eye could see. And it was cold. Only down side. The cold. I sighed, sitting down and putting my head in my hands. I felt guilty. Guilty about what I'd done to him, about not telling Steve I knew where he was... what was the guy doing at that moment? I really should have thought about going to Asgard more thoroughly. I could feel the air in the ship moving, the small disturbance as the others slept. But outside I could feel nothing, just emptiness. It was actually kinda relaxing in some ways. There wasn't so much input and I could actually think, though at that time it was a mixed blessing.

"What are you doing up?" Peter asked. I looked up at him, leaning back in my seat, and shrugged.

"Couldn't sleep."

"We have you the only spare bed we had, sorry if it's not – "

"The bed's fine. It's a... personal... thing... um... problem. That's the word." He frowned.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really." I replied, possibly a bit too fast. He just shrugged.

"OK." I froze. That... Wasn't what I was expecting. I smiled slightly, sighing. He just went about what he had come up to do, checking our heading or something like that. For a while I watched him, then stood up and crossed over, watching him closer, curious. He glanced around at me.

"I suppose all this is confusing for you, huh?"

"Not really. This is actually stuff I understand, sort of. I mean... It looks similar to a quinjet so I suppose if I really needed to I could fly it."

"You're a pilot?" He seemed mildly surprised and I shrugged, slightly sheepish.

"I was, once. It's more... tech is something I understand. This is tech. It wouldn't take long for me to figure everything out."

"Awesome." He went back to work and I went back to thinking. Then I started speaking again, though I didn't fully understand why I was telling him what I was.

"When I was fourteen I was kidnapped by a semi-secret organisation who wants to sort of take over the world, give it order. They put some tech in my head that meant I had to do what they wanted me to. For nine years I was forced to kill people. Men, women, old people, children... it didn't matter. If Hydra had something against them, they died. And I would be the one to kill them," I paused, "That included my own family," Peter looked around at her briefly, but didn't say anything, "I couldn't remember it for nine years. The tech that meant I couldn't always control myself also made it so I couldn't remember doing all this. Recently I was freed, the tech removed... so now each night I dream of what I did. Normally it's me killing someone. The most common one is me killing my family. I couldn't stop myself. I killed my parents, and I didn't even flinch."

"That's rough."

"Yep. Especially because of how happy they had been when I showed up on their doorstep, months after I had been taken from them." It was obvious Peter didn't know how to respond. I scoffed, turning away and running a hand over my hair.

"I was taken from Earth when I was eight," Peter started, drawing my attention back to him, "My mom had just... she um..." He coughed, clearing his throat, "She died of cancer and I was kidnapped by Ravagers seconds after."

"Ravagers?"

"A bunch of thieves, smugglers, pirates... real bunch of jackasses," Peter explained and I nodded, motioning for him to continue, "I didn't know what was happening, I was just a kid, my mom had just died. The only things I had left were my clothes and these." He held out a Walkman and a tape. I smiled.

"Haven't seen those things for a little while."

"What?"

"I'll tell you after you've finished your story."

"Ah, OK..." He placed them on the dash, for want of a better term, "I was there when Mom died, was in the same room. She wanted me to hold her hand one last time, but... I dunno. I didn't really understand what was happening, I was scared, confused, and I didn't. My granddad pulled me out of the room when I started freaking out," He looked down at his hands, "I guess what I'm trying to say is we all do things we regret." I nodded.

"I know. But, believe it or not..." I paused, rubbing my head awkwardly, "You're actually the first person I've told about me killing my parents."

"You're kidding."

"Nope. My friends already look at me with pity, I don't want it to get worse. Plus I don't Dale hating me."

"Dale?"

"My brother. They were actually his parents. I was adopted."

"Huh..." I shook my head.

"Anyway! Walkman. We upgraded." I wanted to change topic as fast as I could. This type of conversation wasn't something I liked, but tech... tech I could talk. I could talk about that for days. Peter frowned.

"Really? To what?"

"Well, we have iPods, we have iPhones, they also take music... actually, most phones can take music, CDs, MP3s... lots of things, actually. If I hadn't just been on Asgard I'd show you."

"Why'd you upgrade?"

"You don't have to walk around with a collection of tapes, you just put all the music you want on the whatever and you can just walk around with it in your pocket or something. They're great."

"Huh..." Peter grinned, "A lot changed there didn't it?"

"Oh yeah." I grinned back. These guys didn't seem so bad after all.

* * *

Loki paced the empty halls, rage boiling in his veins. This was ridiculous... how hard could it be to find one little girl who has no knowledge of the galaxy? Not to mention she had PTSD and massive headaches that should be incapacitating her. Then there was the fact he had most of the galaxy looking for her right now. Surely he should get his hand on her soon, and then it would be certain that she would tell no one of his secret... it was important. If anyone was to find that he wasn't who he said he was... his scowl deepened. He had not counted on the human being able to see him for who he really was. This girl was really mucking things up... but at the same time, he couldn't help but like her. There was something about her... she was hurt. Very hurt. He couldn't see just how though. She hid it, seemingly even from herself. Well, she possibly knew, but what she knew might not be all of it. She intrigued him. Loki sighed, turning and looking out the window over the world he had usurped, unknowing to all his subjects. Currently Thor was off telling his friends back on Earth what had happened. A smirk formed on Loki's face. Oh how furious they would be, how worried. He could just imagine them all, concerned for their young Tyra. She was powerful. Oh yes, she had much power. So much that it was hard to comprehend. Loki could feel it, could feel the surge in her veins. It was surprising that no one else could, surprising that she didn't know about how much power she had. But it was something in his favour at least. The less she knew about her own abilities the better. The doors behind him opened and Loki turned around to face the guard that had entered the room. No one knew it was him. It was better to keep the illusion of Odin over him at all times in case someone just barged in on him.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Sire, we believe we may know where Tyra is headed." Loki/Odin hid a smile.

"Then send men out at once."

"Yes, Sire." The guard bowed, heading out the room again. Loki smiled. Things were looking up.

* * *

The ship landed on a planet that, once again, I had no chance of recognising or knowing what the hell was going on. I peered outside as the door opened, smiling in wonder. There were people of all sorts of colours, strange hair, hell, I could imagine some of these people having gills. Everyone else was getting ready to head out behind me, Peter making sure his gun thing was secure, Gamora with some little gadgets that I'd have to mess around with at some point, Rocket with a ridiculously large gun, Drax with a couple of... were they swords? Cool. I felt something wrap around my upper arm, looking around in mild confusion, then smiling when Groot made himself comfortable on my shoulder. He beamed at me and I reached up with my other hand to stroke him on the head. It felt strange, patting a sapling. But plants supposedly liked being touched and talked to... right? And by the look on his face, Groot didn't mind.

"You stay here," Peter told me, walking over, "We shouldn't be too long."

"Why do I have to stay behind?" I frowned.

"You've got a bounty on your head. If anyone sees you and knows this, you're in trouble. So please, just... stay here."

"But I've never had an opportunity like this one! It's not like I'll be able to come back here any time soon, if ever."

"But there is still a chance, which you won't have if you're dead," I pulled a face, knowing he was right, "Please just... Don't do anything stupid."

"Sure... whatever." I grumbled, looking away. This sucked. Big time.

"We shall return." Gamora told me as she walked past, heading outside. I shrugged.

"Take your time. Not like I'm about to be going anywhere," I glanced down at Groot, "You wanna go with them?"

"I am Groot." The little tree shook his head and I smiled.

"I appreciate the company." Gamora smiled then went to catch up with the others. I sighed, pressing a button to close the door before turning and looking back at the ship.

"Now what do we do, Groot?" I asked.

"I am Groot." I looked down at him thoughtfully, a small smile growing on my face. With the right stuff I might be able to make something to help me understand what he was actually saying rather than having to work it out all the time, like I didn't really know what he said just then.

"How do you feel about doing a bit of experimenting?" I asked. Groot's eyes grew wide and I chucked, looking back around the craft before kneeling down in front of a draw and opening it, trying to find some of the stuff I'd possibly need. My laptop would be helpful too, but that was still on Earth... I hadn't thought I'd need it, but oh well! So long as I didn't make anything explode we'd be fine.

* * *

Something was wrong. I could feel it. Well, and hear it. There were people screaming outside and I could feel the chaotic vibrations in the air our there. Groot and I shared a look and I stood up, quickly going into the belly to my designated sleeping area and grabbed my gauntlets, slipping them on before going back up and opening the doors, looking out at the panicking people. Groot stood beside me, his mouth slightly open. Slowly I bent down and picked him up, placing him on my shoulder. I didn't say anything, keeping my eyes peeled for the others. Instead I saw who was causing all the panic, feeling the colour draining from my face.

"Oh shit..." I swallowed, "You might want to hold on." I told Groot, leaving the ship and running over to a little boy who had tripped up, kneeling down and helping him to his feet before directing him to shelter, not bothering to ask after his parents. I could see someone who was possibly his father forcing his way back through the crowds to get the boy. Groot held on tight, though not too tightly, observing what was happening from the comparative safety of my shoulder.

"Tyra Jones of Midgard!" One of the asgardian warriors called out, pointing his weapon at me, "By the command of King Odin, I must insist you put the..." He faulted when he realised he didn't know what to call Groot and I smirked.

"His name is Groot, and I think I'm happy with him right where he is thanks." The wind around me started picking up, water condensing above the soldier's head as I gave him his own little storm, distracting him just long enough for me to shoot forward and kick out, getting him in the chin and sending him sprawling back, but he didn't lose his footing. My concentration shifted and the small rain cloud dispersed as I started sparring with him, trying not to get caught by the sword in his hand. Eventually I managed to wrestle it off him, promptly using the hint to knock him out. I wasn't going to kill him. I refused to. Now I could see the others running forwards, Peter shooting at the asgardians, Rocket sitting on Drax's shoulder and shooting his own weapon. Whenever someone came close enough, Drax would attack them briefly before they got shot point blank by Rocket, Gamora usually just settling for incapacitating them in some way or another. They didn't notice the small group of soldiers forming behind them, all with things that looks suspiciously like guns. Without even pausing to think I knelt down and placed my hands on the ground, reaching out and commanding the earth to form a wall behind them. They looked around briefly, probably feeling the earth moving beneath them, slowing slightly to look.

"Run you idiots!" I yelled at them, bringing them back to the reality of the situation, making them run faster. Eventually they reached me and I stood straight, the wall collapsing back into the ground.

"I thought I told you to stay in the ship?!" Peter demanded.

"I only came out after all this started," I snapped back, "These are asgardians. How the hell did they find me?"

"You suggesting we called them?!"

"How else would they know I'm here?"

"Guys!" Gamora snapped at both of us.

"What?!" We yelled right back.

"Maybe now is not the best time to be having this conversation?"

"I agree with the dumb whore." Drax said, making me look at him funny. I thought they were friends? What was with the whole dumb whore thing? Gamora hardly seemed to care.

"I'd rather not get shot." Rocket growled, firing at the people meant to be shooting us.

"I am Groot."

"Alright! We get the point." I growled, spinning around as I felt someone coming up behind me, watching as he fell to the ground, gasping for the air I was forcing from him lungs. When he lost consciousness I let the air flood back into this lungs. No killing. For a moment the others just looked at me. Even Rocket stopped shooting at people for a moment.

"I thought you guys wanted to get outta here?" I snapped.

"I am Groot."

"Yeah, we know she's got a point." Rocket growled at him. Most dysfunctional group, ever, and I used to think Tony and Steve were bad... I turned and started making my way back to the ship, everyone else following me, then overtaking me as once again I spun around, this time making a wall of air to stop the barrage of bullets. Not quite fast enough, but at that moment none of that mattered. I felt a hand grab me by the wrist and haul me the short distance into the ship before the doors were closed. I looked around at Drax and nodded to him thankfully. He didn't take his eyes off me for a moment, then walked away. I grimaced, putting my hand to my side and drawing it away to look. Blood stuck to my fingers.

"OK, that was kinda cool." Peter laughed.

"Where the hell did you learn to do that?" Rocket demanded. I didn't reply, just put my hand to my side again, pressing it to try and stop the bleeding as I leaned back on the wall, then slid to the floor.

"Tyra!" Gamora was the first to kneel beside me, "Move your hand. We need to see the wound."

"What's the big deal? I've been shot before." But I moved my hand so that she could get a better look.

"She needs a doctor."

"Where the hell are we going to find a doctor?! We're being shot at!" Peter asked. Gamora just glared at him.

"We can slow the bleeding long enough to get us somewhere safe, and then we find a hospital or something." Rocket came over with a piece of cloth and placed it over my wound, Gamora applying pressure to it, making me wince slightly.

"Don't be such a big baby." Rocket snapped at me. I scoffed, instantly regretting the choice.

"Dude, by comparison it hasn't been that long since the last time I went into surgery," I admitted, "I ain't too keen to go back to a doctor." Something started buzzing in my ears loudly, resembling white noise. I closed my eyes, feeling sick. I knew what shock felt like. I felt sick.

"Tyra, look at me." Gamora ordered and I forced my eyes open.

"Now why would I want to do that?" I asked.

"You need to stay awake."

"I know the drill, been through it before." I forced myself up more, leaning forwards, "Someone check for exit wound."

"Oh shit." Rocket growled, heading off for another bit of cloth.

"I'll take it that there is one. Terrific." I mumbled, leaning back again. This was taking far too much energy, especially so soon after all that elemental shit. I felt my eyes growing heavy. There was nothing I could do about it. I felt hot, sweat on my forehead. Great. Just great. I could hear Gamora's voice, but couldn't really understand what she was saying. I hardly even understood it when she slapped me, but I'm fairly certain I muttered something. Then I blacked out, unable to hold onto consciousness any longer.

* * *

Gamora muttered something under her breath which sounded suspiciously like she was swearing. She turned on Quill.

"We need to get her to a hospital fast."

"Which gets us back to where we were two minutes ago." He snapped back.

"I know of a place, not too far from here but away from all... this." Rocket indicated to the door, referring to the chaos still going on outside.

"Then stop talking and take us there," Quill commanded, stepping over to Tyra and picking her up off the floor, moving her to a table not too far away and lying her on it, Gamora going straight back to applying pressure to the front of the wound while Quill rolled Tyra onto her side and started applying pressure to the back of the wound while Rocket flew them to hospital. Drax wasn't saying anything, Groot jumping up on the table and peering worriedly into Tyra's face.

"I am Groot?" He looked up from her to Quill, his eyes wide with his worry.

"She's gonna be fine." Quill said, as much for the little tree's benefit as his own. It was hard to deny his worry, even if Tyra didn't exactly completely trust them, even if she had concealed being a ridiculously overpowered... was she even human? She said she was human, but that didn't mean she couldn't be lying. There was a surprising number of American sounding aliens out there, though none sounded exactly the same. There were so many questions rattling around in his head as they flew away, but he couldn't let his doubts show. Not yet. He'd have to ask Tyra about them herself later. And this time he would make her answer him. She wouldn't get a choice in the matter. He looked down as the fingers on her left hand twitched slightly, her brow creasing slightly.

"She's going to be fine." Quill said again, looking away from her face to the wound on her side.

* * *

I woke up somewhere I didn't recognise immediately, though after a second I realised it must have been a hospital. At first I was confused, but then I started remembering what had happened. Oh, the joys of being chased all over the galaxy. I tried to sit up but felt pain shoot up my side, so I had to slump back down, scowling. My head hurt, my side felt like something had exploded in it, and more than anything I wanted someone to turn off the lights.

"I am Groot!" The little tree appeared in my vision and I smiled, reaching out and letting him take my finger in his hands.

"Hey there, Groot. How's it going?"

"I am Groot."

"Well, I'm sorry I worried you. I'll try not to do it again." He smiled at me and then I looked on my other side, feeling something jump up next to me. Rocket was sitting there, arms folded, looking rather pissed.

"Idiot." He scowled. I raised my eyebrows.

"Excuse me?"

"You're an idiot."

"What makes you say that?"

"You got shot!"

"Not my fault."

"Oh really?"

"Nope, you guys weren't moving fast enough." Rocket's scowl deepened and he looked almost like he wanted to hit something. I smirked, pushing myself up and struggling not to let the pain show on my face, leaning against the wall as I watched Rocket closely. After a moment I grinned, chuckling slightly before my face twisted in pain and my hand went to my side.

"What's so funny?" Rocket snapped, but it didn't have much of an edge to it and when I opened my eyes again there was a hint of concern on his face.

"You were actually worried about me."

"Was not!"

"Yeah you were, don't bother denying it."

"Fine! Yes, I was worried, but only because if we hand you over we'll become rich."

"Or get arrested yourselves," Rocket didn't bother arguing, knowing I was right, "Just admit it. You like me really." If I didn't know any better I'd say Rocket was embarrassed. Before I could say anything about it, though, Peter, Gamora, and Drax joined us, Drax standing by the door, seemingly to keep watch while the other two crossed over to me.

"You have some explaining to do." Peter said, folding his arms.

"I do?"

"You have magic!" He hissed, rather angrily, "Why the hell didn't you tell us?!"

"... That... Yeah... I guess I do have a bit of explaining to do about that."

"And how you have magic. Last I knew, humans weren't just born with the ability to do random shit with their minds."

"Well, clearly you've never met my brother," I muttered, too quietly for him to hear, "Yes, I have magic... sort of... I suppose. I'd rather put science into it and say that I use brainwaves or something like that to manipulate certain particles into doing whatever I want them to, but, unfortunately, I can't because I honestly do not know how it works. Currently I can feel..." I paused, thinking for a moment, "Probably somewhere around 800 people in this hospital, maybe closer to 900. This hospital is actually in space rather than on a planet. And I know all this because..." I paused, wondering how best to word this.

"Because?" Rocket prompted, once again looking rather displeased. I sighed.

"Because I can feel the air."

"How can you feel air?" Drax asked, looking very confused.

"Alright, so maybe feel is the wrong word... sense? Maybe? I don't really know how to explain it," I adjusted how I was sitting slightly, "I, ah... have power over the elements, fire, earth, water, and air."

"The marks on your back?" Gamora asked. I froze, looking over at her and thinking.

"So you've seen them."

"Yes."

"They're Asgardian," I explained, "Kaunaz, hagaluz, laguz, jera, and Odin."

"English?" Peter asked, more than a bit confused.

"Fire, air, water, earth, and..." I looked away, "And Odin. My father."

"Your WHAT?!" Peter looked almost horrified at the thought. I looked up at him, shrugging slightly, then sighed.

"I'm Odin's illegitimate half-asgaridan, half-midgardian daughter." There was silence. Even Drax looked slightly surprised, a little shocked, maybe a hint of disbelief mixed in there.

"So your own dad has a bounty on you?" Rocket asked. For a moment I didn't know how to answer, considering Odin currently wasn't Odin but his adopted son Loki. What a messed up life I lived. Slowly I nodded.

"Sure."

"This is ridiculous," Peter muttered, turning away, "There is no way that you're half Asgardian."

"You're kidding..." I muttered, "I can manipulate all four elements and have asgardian scribbles on my back, not to mention me being half alien and my biological father is the king of Asgard kinda makes me one of the best options for being a diplomat from Earth to Asgard. You really find it so hard to believe?"

"Why would your own father put a bounty on you?!"

"Because we don't actually know each other all that well." What Heimdall had said to me echoed in my mind. That Odin had asked him to watch over me. Loki and Thor never knew that. I shrugged awkwardly, reaching out and absently stroking Rocket behind the ear. For some reason it comforted me. I stopped and kicked back the sheets, putting my feet on the floor and standing up, once again struggling not to either throw up or keel over in pain.

"I'm going to get dressed and then we can get out of here. When we're on our way you can ask me more questions and I promise I'll answer them as best we can." Eventually Peter nodded and took the others away to wait, leaving me to get changed and slip my gauntlets on. This was one adventure I really wished we could just get over and done with.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six

We didn't talk for while after we flew off, the others just leaving me to stand looking out the window on my own, just thinking. Something told me they didn't trust me so much anymore, considering how large the secrets I had been keeping were. And I didn't blame them. How could I expect them to trust me when I couldn't trust myself?

"Nova Corps just got in touch," Gamora said, walking over to Peter (who was driving again), "They want us to report to Xandar."

"Did you tell them were currently busy?" He asked.

"I told them about Tyra, yes. They said that could wait."

"What's so urgent that we need to hurry over there?"

"They said it's about the infinity stone." Silence fell over the others and I frowned. While Peter and Gamora kept talking I walked over to Rocket and Groot. Rocket was sitting on the floor fiddling with bits and pieces, but he was frowning slightly, clearly about as concerned as Gamora and Peter at the mention of this infinity stone. I sat down in front of him, silently handing him the pieces he needed without him even asking for them.

"What's the infinity stone?" I asked quietly. Rocket didn't look up.

"There are six of them, but we only know where one is. And it's not something you want to fall into the wrong hands, hence it's with Nova Corp."

"Ah..."

"Right. You're not from around here, so you wouldn't know."

"Rocket – "

"Not too long ago there was a bit of shit hitting the fan over this infinity stone. Guy called Thanos wanted it."

"Thanos?" I raised my eyebrows, "As in... variant of Thanatos, Greek God of death?"

"Ah... sure, why not? This guy is not very nice at all, one of the worst begins in the galaxy, if not the worst. No one wants to get on his bad side."

"That powerful, huh?"

"You can't begin to imagine it."

"So him getting his hands on this infinity stone wouldn't be very good."

"Right."

"I am Groot." I looked down at Groot.

"I didn't catch that one." I admitted. Rocket shrugged.

"Pretty much he said that Thanos didn't get it. His lackey didn't give it back, instead being dumb enough to attack Xandar. We ended up getting the stone off him, and let me tell ya, that was not pleasant."

"You touched the stone?"

"Ah... no. Quill did. Almost destroyed himself in the process. Then we all held hands like a bunch of jackasses and somehow that managed to spread the power between enough of us to control it and we gave the stone to Nova Corp to protect."

"Which is why them getting in touch about it is such a bad thing."

"Exactly. Trust me, if something bad wasn't going on then they'd never get in touch." Rocket looked up at me as I handed the last part he'd want over to him, smiling slightly.

"Then we better get over there, hadn't we?" He frowned slightly.

"You sure?"

"If the infinity stone is that important, then getting me back to Earth isn't your top priority. That stone is." Rocket grinned as best a racoon can, which was actually pretty good. He stood up and went over to Gamora and Peter, leaving me with Groot. The little tree was looking at me.

"What is it, Groot?" I asked.

"I am Groot."

"Still annoyed that I didn't tell you guys who I really am?"

"I am Groot." He nodded.

"I thought it'd be safer that way. For all of us. Plus I don't like it. Odin is only my father by birth, nothing else. He was never there for me. Not once. If he had wanted, he could have stopped a lot of what happened to me, but he didn't. Could have told me who I was, but he didn't. As for my powers, I only found out about them a few months ago. Just before shit hit the fan and Hydra decided to take a bigger interest in me and try to control me better. Note why I have problems remembering things. I'm not making excuses, just explaining things. I don't expect you guys to trust me the same. But I want to help you with this. Having an elemental on your team might not be such a bad idea." I smiled slightly and Groot slowly walked forwards before climbing onto my shoulder.

"I am Groot."

"If that was an 'I trust you', then thanks," Groot nodded, holding on as I stood up and walked over to the small group that had formed which now also included Drax, "So... we going to see what's going on with this infinity stone?" I asked. Peter looked at me.

"You told us everything we need to know about you?" He asked.

"Let's see... I'm an elemental, daughter of Odin, have memory problems, and am an ex-assassin... that about cover it? Think so. Might have forgotten something, but hey," I shrugged, "So yeah. Pretty sure I've said everything you need to know about me."

"Then yes. We're going to visit Nova Corp."

"I don't see how me saying all that has anything to do with going to Nova Corp, but OK."

"How can you see what you said?"

"Don't worry about it, Drax. Wouldn't want you losing your mind over thinking too hard on it."

"I could never lose my mind. It is not something that I can misplace."

"Oh... my God..." I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes, but I was still smiling slightly, "When we get wherever, I need to make a quick call."

"How? You got nothing to call with." Rocket pointed out.

"It's easy enough when all you gotta say is a name. Though it might still be dangerous... ugh. Hate being on the run." I scowled, but I also knew it was about the only way to get a message to my friends back on Earth. The only thing was that I didn't exactly know if Heimdall was being watched or anything like that. All I could do was hope, really.

* * *

"Now, I know I've said this before, but wait here," Peter ordered, "We shouldn't be too long."

"Right. Because that ended so well last time."

"Well this time we're going to a boring meeting with a bunch of idiots," Rocket explained, checking over his gun one last time, "So you'd probably be more bored with us than in here."

"You always take a gun into a meeting?" I asked, smiling slightly, "Look, I need to make this call anyway. Maybe I should just meet up with you after this. I'm good in meetings."

"I don't see how her presence could harm anyone." Drax supplied. I glanced at him, then looked back at Peter.

"See?If Drax is agreeing, then it'll be fine if I go in there. Not like I've never been in a meeting before, and it gives me something to do, plus I want to know what I can about these infinity stones and Thanos. First time here, I want to learn what I can." Peter and Gamora shared looks, then Peter sighed.

"Alright, fine. Just don't... Don't say anything, OK?"

"Sure thing." I mock saluted with the first two fingers on my right hand, smiling slightly.

"I'm going to regret this." Peter muttered before heading outside. I scoffed, quickly going back into the belly of the beast and grabbing my gauntlets before hurrying out of the ship myself, walking off to find somewhere quiet to talk to Heimdall, though I suspected the conversation would be very one sided.

* * *

It took a bit of walking, but eventually I found somewhere sufficiently far away from everyone else in the strange place that was, apparently, Xandar. I stood on a balcony overlooking the city, finding it reminded me a bit of home, just a different style. It wasn't as flashy as Asgard, but I found that I liked it just as much. What people I could see ranged in appearance, but there were a fair few red people, others just looking (at least from this distance) like normal human beings. It was nice. Peaceful. I sighed, turning away from it and looking back at the building behind me.

"Heimdall... I'd like to talk, if it's possible..." I frowned, "I'd like to talk to someone other than myself, I think would be the better way of putting it. Damn... been dealing with Tony too much." I waited a while, silently hoping for Heimdall to open the bifrost and to just magically appear before me. Unfortunately he didn't. I sighed.

"OK, then. Um... I've just got a request for you – " At that moment the bifrost opened and I took half a step back. Instead of Heimdall, Thor was standing in front of me.

"Tyra..." He stepped towards me and put his arms around me.

"Ah... Hey, Thor... Was expecting someone else, but it's really good to see you." He stepped back and checked me over quickly for any sign of harm and I silently thanked whichever gods I believed in (which weren't actually that many, most gods I knew were idiots and didn't actually have that much power in this sort of situation) that I'd been shot somewhere Thor couldn't see.

"Are you alright? Father sent a small attack force out when he heard you were on a planet not so far from here. What happened? Why aren't you back on Midgard?"

"One question at a time, please," I chuckled, trying to ease his concern, "I'm fine. Hell, as long as I'm alive and have full control over my actions I am peachy. As for why I'm not back home... You said that Heimdall would send me somewhere and not even you would know where. He ended up sending me to a planet that I have no clue what it's called and I met some people. A human, Peter Quill, nice enough guy... Drax, a bit strange, but quite likeable , Rocket, probably my best friend now," I grinned, "Groot, which I want to take home with me, just saying, and Gamora, who seems a bit... cold, I suppose, but I get along with her quite well."

"Are you safe with them?" Thor asked, his eyes filled with concern.

"What safer place is there for a criminal than with a bunch o' crims?" I asked, a slightly horrified look on Thor's face, "I trust them. It's more a question of do they trust me," I shook my head, "Anyway, enough about that. There's been a couple of changes in plan. I don't think I'll be getting back to Earth for a little while."

"What do you mean? Tyra, please don't tell me that you're planning on doing something stupid."

"Two choices in answer. You want A or B?"

"Tyra..."

"Answer A is OK, I won't tell you. B. I'm not planning on doing something stupid, I'm already doing it," Thor didn't look impressed, "I just need someone to tell the others that I'm fine and I'll be back as soon as I can be. That's all."

"I've told them about what happened. They're all worried about you."

"Figured they would be. I wasn't supposed to be gone this long, not that I know how long I've been gone anymore. Please just tell them I'm fine, Thor, and I'll be back soon. Please?"

"I will." For a moment we just stood there, his cape billowing slightly in the breeze. He seemed to be taking in the view as much as I had been.

"How are they?" I asked.

"Everyone is fine. Wanting you back safely, but aside from that they are fine."

"Any sign of Barnes?" Thor looked back at me.

"Not that I have been told." Relief flooded through me, but I couldn't say anything. I just nodded.

"No problems arisen in my absence?"

"Tony and Steve have been fighting again."

"What else is new?"

"Clint has been vanishing."

"Sounds about right."

"Natasha has been stealing clothes."

"Whose this time?"

"Tony was complaining, as were Steve and Banner. Clint just shrugged when asked, and I think I spotted her in one of your shirts."

"What?!" Thor thought for a moment.

"I think it was a pale grey one with a pig with wings on it."

"She didn't..." I sighed, shaking my head, "I'm gonna have to get back at her when I get the chance. I am definitely stealing her boots."

"What is it when it comes to you two and stealing people's clothing?" Thor asked me, but he was smiling.

"Oh, trust me. We've been thinking about how to steal your cape for a while now." I smirked.

"Then I wish you luck."

"Thanks. I think we're going to need it," I sighed, "You should probably be getting back to Asgard before Odin notices you're gone." I muttered. He turned to me.

"I do not believe he is doing this because he is a bad man, Tyra."

"Yeah, he's totally doing this out of the love in his heart."

"I'm trying to convince him that he is wrong, but..."

"Thor, you do realise that Odin is known as the All Father? He doesn't have to listen to you if he doesn't want to. So he's not going to. Wanna know what's funny?" I asked, Thor pausing then nodding silently, "I don't mind. What he's done... It's given me a chance I wouldn't have had otherwise. So, in a weird way, I'm thankful. Though I kinda wish he'd stop chasing me," Thor watched me curiously, and I shrugged, smiling slightly shyly, "What?"

"Despite everything you're a good person. Perhaps better than many I have met before."

"I doubt that," I dismissed pretty much immediately, "Now get going. Honestly." He still paused, but then he pulled me into another hug. For some reason I was starting to find this sort of behaviour a bit strange again... the thought of us only knowing about being related for a few months and yet we were already quite close was weird.

"Be safe," He muttered, then stepped back, "Heimdall, open the Bifrost." He ordered. I also took half a step back, watching as the beam of light shone down and engulfed Thor, whisking him away to Asgard. When the light died down I sighed.

"You better stay safe, too." I grumbled, then turned and started walking away, reaching out with my mind to try and figure out where the others were. Considering one was a racoon and one was a tiny tree it shouldn't be too hard to figure out which room they were in by relying on the air currents. I was right, and so set off finding my way around a place I didn't know to find my friends.

* * *

"What do you mean, you lost her?" Loki demanded, still disguised as Odin. The soldier standing before him was quivering with fear, but his eyes held a note of... was that defiance? Loki struggled to keep the scowl from his face while his soldier tried to sort his thoughts.

"She is more powerful than we expected. She managed to protect herself and her friends without much effort," He explained, "We weren't prepared. And she..." He swallowed awkwardly, almost audibly.

"She what?" Loki demanded, standing up from his throne and walking over to the soldier.

"She... managed to knock me out."

"Tyra didn't seem like she was overly capable at that sort of thing," Loki sneered, "How would she manage that?"

"Um... drew all the air from my lungs, Sire." This vaguely impressed Loki. So she was indeed powerful. But there was one thing that this showed...

"Why didn't she just kill you and get things over with?"

"I know not, Sire." She didn't want to kill. Interesting. It was the only thing that really made sense though, only thing that explained why she didn't actually kill anyone. Why wouldn't she kill though? Loki turned his back on the soldier, returning to his throne and sitting down, absently tapping his finger on the arm.

"Send in the warriors three." He ordered. The soldier bowed.

"Of course, my lord." Then he turned and left, his armour rattling quietly while he moved. Once he was gone, Loki sighed. Tyra was forming up to be more and more of a nuisance. But her not killing anyone might give him an advantage. And the warriors three were the best the Asgardians had. It was almost tempting to send Thor along, but Loki knew that his dear brother would never go after his sister, even if they hardly knew each other. It was entirely possible that the warriors three wouldn't want to go, but the chances of them disobeying their king – again – were reasonably slim, and it was starting to seem like a chance that Loki had to take. But there was nothing saying that Tyra seemed to even be thinking about telling anyone that it wasn't Odin on the throne, but Loki... perhaps she wouldn't. He scowled. He couldn't afford this weakness. If there was even a chance in Helheim that Tyra was going to tell anyone, then he couldn't take the risk. And yet, strangely, he was starting to find it more... emotionally difficult to remove her from the equation. Which was ridiculous. He had nothing to do with her, and she was just... annoying, a thorn in his side, a human. A human that, in some ways, reminded him a bit of himself...


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter seven

I walked into the room, scowling. A guard was following me around, holding me by the arm, and it was taking all my concentration not to fight him off.

"Could someone please tell the warden here that I'm allowed to be here?" I growled, trying to pull away from him. Gamora looked exasperated and Drax leaned his head to the side slightly. Rocket looked like he was slightly surprised that I hadn't actually done anything to get away from this guy.

"She's with us." Peter explained to the pale haired woman who seemed to have been addressing them. She seemed to consider it for a moment, then nodded for me to be released.

"Thanks," I muttered, darting a glance at the man who had escorted me here, then walked over to join the others, "What've I missed?"

"We were just discussing the infinity stone," The woman explained, "We believe that Thanos knows we have it."

"Not a good thing."

"You know about the infinity stone and Thanos?" She asked me.

"Not really. I know a bit about them, but I'm an Earthling, so..." I shrugged. Rocket pulled on my jersey and I looked down at him.

"They call you guys Terrans here." He explained.

"Right, Terran then."

"How much do you know?" I was asked, so I looked back at the woman, who I assumed was some kind of big wig in the Nova Corps.

"Thanos is probably like Thanatos, some God of death or another, and that if he got the infinity stone it wouldn't be very good. I'm guessing that's about all I need to know," I paused, "Oh, and I know these guys helped keep it away from him in the past."

"Quite. I was hoping they'd be able to do the same again."

"What are we supposed to do against Thanos? Isn't he supposed to be one of the worst people in the galaxy?"

"Yeah, but we can handle him." Peter sounded very certain of it, but Gamora looked less sure. I frowned.

"Gamora?"

"Thanos is not someone who you want to mess with," She explained, "He has destroyed many planets."

"Including yours?" I asked. Gamora looked at me in surprise and I shrugged, muttering that it was just a lucky guess.

"He also had a hand in killing Drax's family." Peter muttered to me, seeming to not want Drax to hear this. If Drax did hear he completely ignored it. There was so much more to these people than I had realised. I had thought that they were just the most dysfunctional group of people ever, but now that I realised just how much they'd been through I began to understand it a bit more about it.

"You should tell her Gamora's relationship with him." Rocket said, folding his arms and looking very serious. I frowned.

"What?" Gamora scowled slightly.

"After he destroyed my home he took me in, made me into who I am today. He became my father, in many ways."

"Doesn't sound like a very nice fatherly figure," I muttered, "Gives us a bit of an edge, though."

"Explain." The Nova Corps woman ordered me. I raised an eyebrow and darted a look over at her, continuing to look a bit... unimpressed? Is that the word? – At her giving me orders. Peter place a hand on my arm.

"Please don't do anything I'll regret. I get that enough from these guys." He muttered so only I could hear. I scoffed slightly and put a blank look on my face.

"She knows Thanos. Surely she knows at least a little about how his mind works? At the very least, she herself is a glimpse into how he acts, thinks, that sort of thing, even if it is only to a small extent."

"How so?" Nova Corps lady asked me again. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Ah... well," I lowered my hand and took in a deep breath before slowly releasing it, struggling to get my thoughts in order, "When I was a kid I was trained to be a killer, sort of like Gamora," I didn't want to go into too much detail with a woman who I had only just met, "And something I've noticed more recently is that... my style of fighting hand to hand reflects that of the guy who trained me initially. The way my mind works is similar to his, as far as I can tell. So... maybe things are the same in her case?" I shake my head, "I don't really know, I'm not a psychologist... I make things explode, I make AI's and – and tech that most people wouldn't even know what it was for, I don't... Understand people." I shifted uncomfortably, but the Nova Corps woman didn't really seem to pay much attention. She was already looking at Gamora.

"Is this true?" She asked.

"Thanos kept much of his plans a secret from me," Gamora explained, "I don't know how much I would do be able to help." The woman turned away, looking out across the city. Her city. She seemed to be acting so damned dramatic. I rolled my eyes and folded my arms.

"Look, even if Gamora doesn't know much about that stuff... do you really want to just sit around waiting for Thanos to attack?" I asked. Everyone looked around at me in alarm.

"What are you doing?" Peter hissed at me. I didn't reply. The Nova Corps lady was looking at me, intrigued, but not seeming over thrilled about what I had just said.

"I know that you guys are scared of Thanos. I understand that, hell, I respect that. But... surely he isn't as powerful as the stories say? He wants the infinity stones, right?" I looked at Gamora, who nodded slowly, worry in her eyes, "Right. So... what if we... used that to our advantage? At least made it so that if he tries to attack, he doesn't attack this planet. Find somewhere uninhabited, somewhere that not so much damage will be done."

"Thing about uninhabited planets is that they're usually uninhabited for a reason." Rocket pointed out. I sighed, running a hand through my short hair. I could feel a headache coming on.

"I'm not the expert in this kind of stuff. I'm from Earth, I have never been in space before, and my own dad wants me dead. If I am coming up with ideas like this... then I am more than willing to risk my life for it. Sure, currently Thanos is only threatening those who are actually out here, but someday he's gonna come to Earth. You can pretty much guarantee it. While I'm here, and I have no idea how long that'll be for, you might want my help. The way you talk makes it seem like he's one of the most powerful people in the galaxy?" I asked. Everyone nodded. I took a deep breath, then found I was actually smiling slightly.

"So am I," I told the Nova Corps woman, "And I know a fair few people who are worshipped as gods on my world. Including my dad."

"Who, like you said, wants you dead." Rocket pointed out.

"So?" I looked around at him, "If Thanos is as big a threat as you make him sound then chances are Asgard will want to help. Especially..." I cleared my throat, looking around at Peter, "Especially if I give them an incentive."

"You're a fool," Gamora told me, "There is no way you can fight Thanos."

"Don't need to. Or at least... not to beat him," Everyone looked at me, even more confused or concerned or a couple of other things, "We just need to distract him long enough to get the infinity stone somewhere that he will never find it. Or we need to give him something to think about. Or..." I frowned as another idea started working its way into my head, "Rocket, I'm gonna need your help on something." I turned and started making my way out. For a moment Rocket just stood there, a bit surprised, then hurried out after me. When we were reasonably for away from everyone else and there was no one around he grabbed my hand and tugged on it, forcing me to stop and look at him.

"You gonna tell me your master plan?" He demanded, not seeming too happy.

"It's really not that complicated."

"Then why do you need my help for?"

"Because I need to make sure that everything is done perfectly and you're about the smartest person in the room other than me, and you know a lot more about this stuff than I do."

"What stuff?" He was really starting to get annoyed with me, I could see it in his eyes.

"The tech here," I shrugged, "Plus, I don't think that the Nova Corps are just going to let us waltz in and take a reading from the infinity stone."

"Reading? What the hell are you on about?" Rocket almost yelled at me. I blinked a couple of times.

"Didn't I tell you?"

"No!"

"Oh..." I thought for a moment, then shrugged, "We're gonna make a couple of exact replicas of the stone and the container it's in. If Thanos can't figure out which is the right one... how is he supposed to find it? We just need to spread his forces thin so that our forces, if we have any, are more able to manage his numbers."

"That..." Rocket paused for a moment, then scowled, "Is the dumbest idea I have ever heard!"

"You got a better one?"

"Yeah! Forget all about this and get the hell out of here!"

"No."

"Why the hell not?!"

"Why did you help save the galaxy the first time someone went after the stone?" I asked. Rocket paused. I don't think he really knew the answer. I smiled slightly, kneeling down in front of him and rubbing just behind his ear, which twitched back slightly.

"You want to know why not?" I asked him, waiting patiently while he nodded slightly, "Because you're not half as mean as you pretend to be." I stood up and resumed heading back to the ship, Rocket following a couple of seconds later muttering under his breath.

* * *

Rocket and I were sitting on the ground rummaging through all his tools and... um... bombs... which I didn't feel too comfortable about being in the same room as, no matter how much he assured me they weren't about to go off. He paused and picked up the little thing I was working on before I got shot.

"What's this?" He asked, turning it over in his hands. I looked up and rubbed the back of my neck.

"Ah... Yeah, that doesn't work yet." I told him, reaching out to take it back, but Rocket just removed it from my reach. I sighed, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Rocket, could you please give me that?"

"Not until I figure out what it is." He started looking it over more closely. I sighed.

"It's meant to... um... translate, I suppose, what Groot is saying into words other than I and Am and Groot." Rocket looked at me, mixed feelings reflected in his eyes.

"Thought you had no trouble understanding Groot?"

"I was bored. Anyway, it... Doesn't really work yet." I straightened my back slightly and put a hand to where I was shot when it started hurting again, climbing to my feet and heading over to where I had cast my hoody, fishing around in the pockets for my meds.

"So what does it do?" Rocket asked, looking at the little machine again.

"Currently?" I quickly popped one of the pills and turned back to Rocket, leaning against the wall, "Generally it translates as something about wanting to eat KFC."

"The hell is KFC?" Rocket looked very, very confused and I bit my bottom lip to try and stop myself from grinning.

"Fast food place. Tastes pretty good. Personally I prefer it to Maccas, but I know people who prefer Maccas to KFC. And frankly, I think I prefer pancakes to both of them."

"You humies make no sense." Rocket told me after a while, then went back to looking for the parts he needed. I smiled.

"Yeah... I know."

* * *

I eyed up what Rocket had chosen to take on our little excursion to where the stone was being kept, a bit unconvinced at his choice.

"Rocket... we don't want to kill anyone, you know that right?" I asked, my eyes fixed on his gun, which was slung, as usual, over his shoulder.

"Just in case." Rocket replied.

"Um... no. We're breaking into a rather high security facility. If anyone sees us, I can handle them... without killing them."

"Then what do you need me for?"

"You know this place better than I do, and you probably have more experience with breaking and entering that I do. At least when it comes to stealing things... well, not quite stealing things... oh, whatever, you know what I mean."

"Yeah, Quill's kinda the expert in this stuff though, why not take him?" Rocket asked, putting his gun off to the side and crossing his arms.

"Somehow I doubt he'd support this idea."

"Doubt who'd support what idea?" Peter asked as he joined us. I glared at Rocket, who looked a bit too smug. He'd known Peter was coming, he didn't even bother hiding that from me.

"It's nothing, really." I said, not even bothering to sound convincing. Peter wouldn't have believed me anyway, so what was the point in trying? I'd been told many times before, I will was a dreadful liar. Peter turned around and looked at me, as unconvinced as I knew he would be.

"OK, whatever it is, spill." He ordered.

"The illegitimate princess wants us to go and break into Nova Corps so we can get a better look at the stone." Rocket said.

"I'm not a princess." I muttered, but not loud enough for anyone to really hear me. Peter did not look impressed.

"Seriously, Tyra? I'd expect this stuff from him," He pointed at Rocket, who looked smug about me being told off, then put off by being pointed at, "But from you?!"

"Yeah... I'm gonna quote Hot Fuzz here and say that it's for the greater good," I could imagine the droning 'the great good' in my head and struggled not to smirk, "Look, I just want to get a reading of the energy that thing is giving off so I can try to replicate it."

"Why the hell do you want to replicate it?!"

"Try and get Thanos off the scent?" I shrugged, "Look, it's about the only plan I have. If you guys have a plan, great! Let's hear it!" Peter struggled with himself for a bit.

"Fine, but why do you need to break into Nova Corps?" He demanded, trying to find another loophole in my plan.

"If you can persuade them to just show me the stone then I won't need to."

"Like they're about to..." He cut himself off and I smiled, slightly smugly, slightly apologetically, "Oh." He said, catching on.

"Yeah." He sighed, turning away and running a hand through his hair in exasperation.

"Life was so much less complicated before you, or infinity stones, or being half alien..."

"Yeah, I'll agree with that last one. And the second to last one... add to that life was so much less complicated when I wasn't the daughter of a king who also happens to be worshipped as a god back on Earth. And the super powers thing. Oh, and the talking raccoon, the talking twig, and everyone in the galaxy having a massive incentive to find me and hand me over to Odin. And on top of all that, there's the part where now I have memory problems and can't remember the faces of my own parents, unless it's when I'm having nightmares about killing them," I folded my arms, raising an eyebrow at Peter as he looked around at me, "Don't even try finding a way to make it seem like your life is more complicated. Everyone has a complicated life. I can guarantee you that even Rocket here has had a complicated life. Every single member of your team has had a complicated life. Every member of my team back home has had a complicated life. Some of them complicated partially because of other members of the team. Some of them are even more complicated than they know, and I can't say anything, which makes my life even more complicated," I stopped myself before I could say any more about what a mess my life was, "Look... just... don't... don't start thinking about how complicated life is because all those people out there who aren't actually gods... they all know that it's more complicated than we could ever stop and imagine it being," I shrugged, a small smile creeping back onto my face, "So instead of worrying over how complicated your life is... why not have some fun with it?" Rocket, who had been looking at me in confusion and probably a little bit of shock, maybe a little bit of sympathy, turned and looked at Peter expectantly. Peter just sighed and flopped into the driver's seat of his spaceship.

"What's the plan?"

"Ah... I don't really know. Usually I make things up as I go along," I grinned, "Try not to get caught, find the stone, take a reading, get out, start work. Simple."

"In theory. Actually going through with it might be another thing altogether," Peter rested one arm on the dash of his space ship, "Give me a couple of minutes and I'll go with you."

"I am Groot!" I hadn't realised that Groot was with him. I looked at the little plant and half smiled.

"You wanna come too, I take it."

"I am Groot." He grinned and I chuckled.

"Ask Rocket. I'm cool with it." I looked down at Rocket and he shrugged.

"He can come if he wants. Why would I be against the idea?"

"You sure that's a good idea?" Quill asked, earning confused looks from me and Rocket, "Remember what happened at the Kiln?"

"That was ages ago!" Rocket objected, "And he's shrunk since then."

"I feel really out of place in this conversation and have no idea what you two are on about."

"Breaking out of one of the highest security prisons in the galaxy," Gamora explained as she walked in, stopping in front of me, "Having to get one part of Rocket's plan last and Groot got that part first, throwing the whole prison into chaos."

"I lost 30,000 Units on a leg for that prison break..." Peter muttered, glaring at Rocket who was grinning.

"It was funny! The thought of that guy hopping around on one leg... priceless..."

"Why would you need another leg? You already have two." I said, frowning.

"Rocket said we needed it for the prison break!"

"And you believed him?"

"Peter isn't exactly the smartest man in the galaxy." Gamora told me, smiling slightly.

"You fell for it too!" Peter objected and I couldn't help but laugh a little, looking down at Rocket.

"They thought you needed a leg? To escape from prison?"

"It's great, isn't it? Almost better than that guy hopping around on one leg." I shook my head, still smirking slightly.

"OK... you just can't make that stuff up..." Peter still didn't look impressed, "Anyway, we should get this show on the road." It was dark outside, so now was as good a time as ever. Peter sighed again, pushing himself out of his seat and grabbing his gun thingy and putting it in its rightful place at his side.

"I'm coming too." Gamora said. I looked at her, vaguely surprised.

"So... you heard what we're up to?"

"Some of it," She admitted, "But I'm willing to do anything to stop Thanos."

"You sure?" I asked, "He still raised you." She glared at me.

"He destroyed my world, killed my parents, my people," She seethed, "He was never my father." I nodded.

"OK then," I looked around at Peter, "Does this mean we go find Drax and drag him along, too? I mean, it seems a little unfair to leave him out of this."

"Sure," Peter told me, "You have any idea where he is?"

"You know him better than I do." I muttered.

"It's better we do this sooner rather than later," Gamora added, "We do not have time to look for him."

"Also it means we have one less thing that could go wrong." Rocket added.

"Right..." I nodded, feeling maybe a little guilty, "OK. Let's get gone then."

"Follow me." Peter sounded rather long suffering as he lead the way out of the ship and into the depths of Nova Corps.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter eight

It was almost too easy. It seemed like there was no one around at all. I glanced over at Peter, who was leading us through the maze, Gamora walking beside him, me and Rocket walking side by side, Groot on Rocket's shoulder.

"I'm kinda worried about the security of this place," I muttered, glancing down at Rocket, "We've been walking around this place for ten minutes and haven't seen a single security guard."

"That's because no one expects people to be dumb enough to break into this place," Rocket explained, "They have security other than people, you know."

"Yeah, but... guards are still a pretty good place to start. Everywhere has security personnel. It's the most basic of the rules of security. Tech can be hacked. And do you really think someone like Thanos would give a damn about a couple of bits of tech that he could probably destroy with a click off his fingers?"

"HA!" Rocket barked, grinning in a very not nice way, "Like that guy would care about a couple of useless security guards? He'd probably get through them easier than the tech." I stayed silent a moment, then sighed, nodding slightly reluctantly.

"I suppose you have a point," I muttered, "I still think it's kinda stupid of Nova Corps though."

"Maybe we just haven't come across the security guards yet. Maybe that bother is yet to come." I smiled, shaking my head. The thing was that I could feel very few people in the building, even when I reached out with my mind to actually scope out the air currents of this place. Rocket was looking at me slightly funny when I next actually started paying attention which was probably a couple of minutes later.

"Have I got something in my teeth?" I asked, leaning my head to the side slightly.

"Those things on your arms," I lifted my right arm slightly, looking at my gauntlet, "What do you think they'd be worth?" He asked. I scoffed, letting my arm drop to my side again.

"They ain't for sale."

"But if they were..."

"They wouldn't be much use to anyone else. I don't even know what they're actually made of."

"You saying they're useful to you?" Rocket looked confused and I smiled slightly.

"Yep."

"How? They're just a hunk of really pricey looking metal and a few jewels."

"They help me control my powers. Mean I don't use my energy so fast," I explained, "My brother gave them to me."

"Humie brother or Asgardian brother?" I looked down at him and leaned my head to the side, "Quill mentioned you have family back on Earth." He explained.

"I see..." I looked up at Peter, who had his back to us still, "Thor gave them to me."

"So you two are pretty close?" Peter interrupted us before I could answer, sighing and looking at a panel on the walls. Rocket and I stopped beside him and Gamora.

"What is it?" I asked.

"We keep going and we get electrocuted." He grumbled, pointing at it before walking over to it and carefully taking the cover off it, looking at all the wires, trying to figure out what to do. I raised an eyebrow and walked over to him, taking him by the shoulders and moving him out of the way, starting to figure out all the wires in this beautiful piece of tech.

"So how do you know we'll be electrocuted if we keep going?" I asked.

"This thing makes a mesh-like thing out of beams of light. You touch the beams, you get electrocuted with about 5000 volts. Stop you dead in your tracks." He explained. I shook my head.

"It ain't volts that kills you. It's the amps," I explained, "And I really don't think that Nova Corps would use something that would kill you as one of their security features."

"Alright, so it makes it damn hard to breathe and leaves you with some pretty bad burns. That can kill you, right?"

"Pre-existing medical problems, don't get help fast enough, sure... has a chance of killing you I guess," I muttered, "So we are looking at somewhere between 0.01 and 0.1 amps... should be fun." I looked around at him and grinned, then went back to the nice little panel which I could swear the tech inside it was becoming my best friend.

"Does she even know what she's doing?" Gamora asked, just as I started fiddling around and crisscrossing wires, pulling out a few others, shaking my head in disappointment. Having to do this was really mean. I stepped back and walked over to Peter, just looking at him.

"You done?" He asked,

"One way to find out," A sly smirk slipped onto my face and I shoved him to where the beams of light would have been, nodding in satisfaction when he didn't get zapped, "Oh good, I didn't just end up raising the amps." Rocket laughed while Peter just looked at me, horrified.

"That was a risk?!" He demanded.

"Not a big one," I chuckled, "I've dealt with the laser security things back on Earth, this wasn't way too different," I explained, walking past him, "But yeah... it was still a risk."

"And you chose to test it on me?"

"Gamora would have just thrown me in there instead and if I had messed up I would have gotten Rocket to have a go. You were the best choice."

"What about Groot?!"

"Ah... He's wood..." I explained, "Not the best conductor. And besides, he's tiny, probably would have just walked straight through the gaps." I grinned.

"Why did I even agree to coming along..." Peter muttered and even Gamora was smiling a little by now.

"You call yourself Star Lord," I chuckled, "I think you're just being lead on by delusions of grandeur." Peter darted forwards, trying to grab me to get payback, but I just danced out of his way and continued on my way, poking my tongue out at him.

"I didn't think this was how breaking and entering was supposed to work." Rocket muttered.

"It must be a human thing." Gamora added.

"I am Groot."

"What do you mean? It's a guardians thing?" Rocket looked at the twig on his shoulder incredulously.

"I am Groot."

"First of all, I am not a raccoon!" Rocket growled, "Second... Alright, I'll give you that one."

* * *

Rocket and I set to work pretty much as soon as we arrived in the room with the stone secured in it, though it was difficult to tell exactly where the stone was. One wall was completely lined with safety deposit boxes or whatever, which took me a bit by surprise.

"OK, how are we supposed find that stone?" I asked, looking down at Rocket, "No way we'll be able to search every one of these damn things, even if they weren't locked."

"Well, you better think of something," Peter told us, "No clue when security might arrive."

"You think we still might have tripped something?"

"We don't know," Gamora joined Peter keeping watch at the only entrance to the room, "Which is why you should try and work this out as fast as you can."

"Bit pushy aren't they," I muttered, looking back at the wall of boxes, "I'm gonna guess that just looking for energy signatures is out of the question?"

"Most likely," Rocket nodded, "But don't worry about it. I know exactly what to do." He grinned, reaching into a pocket and pulling out a small device. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"No blowing things up." I scolded.

"Why not? We'd find the stone."

"We're trying to make it harder for Thanos to get it, not easier."

"Kill joy," Rocket muttered, putting the thing back in his pocket, "Can I shoot them open?"

"Same problem, smart guy," I frowned, "Why are there no key holes?" I asked.

"All electronically controlled. There is a key hole, just not on the boxes." Rocket explained.

"So these are all controlled by a computer."

"Yep."

"Where's the computer? Nearby, surely?" I looked down at him and Groot, who was still sitting on his shoulder.

"Course. Surprised you haven't spotted it by now."

"Rocket..."

"It's just over there." I looked at the wall he was pointing at and frowned.

"There's nothing there."

"You humies... can't see anything..." He grumbled, walking over to the wall.

"Technically humans have better eyesight than raccoons." I muttered back.

"I'm not a raccoon!"

"Bit of a sore spot for ya, huh?" I smirked.

"I am Groot."

"But it's what he is," I shrugged, "Though he's slightly smarter than most raccoons. Only slightly."

"I am Groot."

"I'm not a bloody raccoon!"

"If ya say so, buddy. Now where's this computer?" He scowled at me, then pointed up at a button which was just out of his reach. I raised my eyebrows and stepped over to press the button, looking around as a panel slid out of the wall, revealing a computer. I grinned.

"That's cool. Where do I get one?" I walked over to it and got a bit of a surprise as Rocket climbed up my back, leaning over my shoulder, "Comfortable?" I asked.

"Only way I'm gonna manage to reach the keyboard." He explained.

"Aha." I wasn't too convinced that was the only reason, but I shook my head and looked back at the screen as Groot moved around to my other shoulder, "You sure you aren't hoping for another belly rub?" I teased as I turned on the computer.

"I hated that belly rub."

"I am Groot."

"I am not lying!"

"I am Groot!"

"Don't worry about it, Groot. I know." I laughed.

"You want to stop fooling around and get to work?" Gamora called over. I waved my hand to show her I'd heard, then started typing away and hacking the computer, which I managed fairly quickly.

"You're good at this." Rocket sounded vaguely impressed as he perched on my shoulder.

"Been hacking stuff since I was about thirteen probably," I explained, "Messing around with computers for a lot longer. Oh, how time flies."

"You want to find a file on the stone."

"Funny enough, I had worked that out." I started typing slightly faster, pausing briefly to wriggle the fingers on my left hand which still wasn't quite right after I stabbed it with a pair of scissors to save myself from being strangled. Good times. Rocket just watched for a moment while I thought, still trying to find the right number for the safety deposit box containing the stone.

"We even sure it's in here?" I asked.

"Move it humie." Rocket ordered and I shook my head, my eyes turning green as I created a solid platform out of air for him to sit on while he typed away, placing my hand on it and pressing down to make sure it was actually weight bearing. Rocket then leapt from my shoulder to the platform and started typing while I looked around at all the boxes, pulling out the device we were gonna be using for identifying the type of energy of the stone and record it, scanning the boxes. There was definitely something strange in one of them... Alright, several of them. It was just a matter of identifying which of these boxes were more likely to house the stone, try and narrow the search a little. I frowned slightly, looking around at Peter before walking over to him.

"Can I borrow your mask thingy?" I asked. He shared a look with Gamora, then looked at me again.

"No." He sounded rather indignant.

"I'll give it right back, promise." He sighed, then took off the thing from behind his ear and passed it over to me. I nodded my thanks to him then turned back to the boxes, placing the piece of tech being my ear and pressing the button to activate it.

"I am Groot?"

"I have an idea is all." I muttered to him, taking the mask off again and pulling another thing out of my pocket, pressing it against Peter's tech and coming up with a small holographic screen. I raised my eyebrows as I looked at the lines and lines of coding, impressed. I looked over at Groot.

"I should steal Tony's tech more often." I smirked.

"I am Groot." He looked really happy for some reason and it was adorable. I scoffed, then looked back at the lines of coding on Tony's tech (which I had every intention of returning... eventually), then starting to type away and adding a bit more coding in places.

"Shall we see if it doesn't blow up on my face?" I muttered.

"What did you just say?" Peter looked at me in horror while I put his tech back behind my ear and threw a smile in his direction, pressing the button to activate it, then looked back at the boxes.

"This is weird," I chuckled, "Rocket?"

"Kinda busy succeeding where you failed." He replied.

"I don't really know this numbering system, but try narrowing the search to 53, 62, 84, and 95." I told him, those boxes having the strongest energy readings coming from them. Rocket spun around on the platform and looked at me rather grumpily.

"And how could you possibly narrow it down to those four options just by taking Quill's mask?" He demanded. I pressed the button again, going along and messing around a bit more with the coding.

"I'm pretty smart, Rocket. Messing with Peter's tech wasn't that hard."

"What did you do?"

"Improved it. Sorta. Currently I'm making it so you can turn my improvements on and off as you want," I muttered, then tested it before hanging it back, "There ya go. Have fun," I turned to Rocket, "Got anything?" Rocket started grumbling as he turned back and started typing away again.

"84," He said, typing away a bit more, "And now we would need the key if you'd didn't have a genius with you."

"Thanks, Rocket. I'm flattered." I smirked as Rocket laughed harshly.

"You think I was talking about you? As if!" I rolled my eyes and stepped forward, picking him up with one hand and letting the platform dissolve, my eyes still green as I started picking the lock with the air, frowning slightly as I figured it needed an electric component, so added in a bit of water bending and having my eyes now green with strands of blue woven through. The box clicked open and I looked down at Rocket smugly.

"See? I'm a genius."

"I could have done it if you hadn't started manhandling me." He grumbled as I set him back down on the ground, then placed Groot on his shoulder, ignoring Rocket as he started complaining to Groot while I stepped over to the safety deposit box and peered inside. Peter walked up behind me and picked up a sphere, opening it calmly to reveal a purple stone in its centre.

"This thing is the reason I found out I'm half alien." He muttered. I looked up at him.

"You don't know your dad, do you?" He shook his head, looking down at me and I could see in his eyes how much it bothered him, "Well, don't let it bother you."

"How? Why not?" He sounded so quiet.

"Because fathers are never what you expect in a situation like ours. Just be glad you knew one of your parents, and be thankful for the family you have now." I looked down at the stone, producing the tech to read the energy signature, nodding when I had it.

"We good?" Peter asked.

"Yep. Now let's get out of here."

* * *

 **Yeah, I'm still being slow uploading... I'm sorry... Won't even bother with excuses... Hope you lot enjoyed the chapter :)**


	9. Chapter 9

Rocket had kicked me out about an hour after we started messing around, trying to replicate the energy signature of the stone. I started walking around the city surrounding Nova Corps. Peter and the others were out doing who knew what while Rocket and I had worked, so now I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going. It was pretty quiet out here in the dark of the night, the air pleasantly cool. Soon I found myself near a fountain, heading over to it and reaching out, putting my hand in the water, swirling the water around as I thought. I still had to figure out how to get the Asgardians to join us if we even succeeded in the first part of my plan. I sighed, sitting down on the edge of the fountain, getting lost in thought. What were my friends back on Earth doing? My eyes drifted to the stars above. All the constellations were different... Obviously, I was on a different planet, but this just hit it home for me. Slowly I raised a hand, running my fingers along the thin scar that had been left after my last surgery. How messed up could my life get? But I was smiling at the thought. Truthfully I didn't think I wanted anything different with my life. Shit as it had been at times, how often do people get the chance to travel in space? Not many if you're from Earth.

"Hey." I looked around as Peter joined me, slightly surprised.

"Hey... where are the others?"

"Gamora's babysitting while Drax gets drunk. Groot is just keeping them company."

"Vaguely surprised you aren't joining Drax in getting drunk." I chuckled, looking back up at the stars.

"Yeah... I would be, but I don't quite think that's a good idea when you and Rocket are doing something that I don't think any of us the rest of us understand. Speaking of which... why aren't you with Rocket?"

"He kicked me out," I chuckled, "The tech out here is amazing and I keep getting distracted." I admitted.

"What is going on back there? You told me about iPods and so on, but not much else." I looked back at him and shrugged.

"So much has happened. I honestly wouldn't know what to tell you and I'd probably forget half of the important stuff."

"You seem like a very forgetful person." Peter agreed, nodding.

"I wasn't always," I shook my head, clutching my hands into fists, "Probably has a lot to do with why I'm helping you so willingly. You know what I used to be."

"You're after redemption?"

"No."

"Then what?" He frowned, confused.

"The things I've done..." I looked away, "There is nothing I could do to get redemption for it. I do what I do now to prove to myself that I'm not being controlled anymore. To prove I'm my own person again. To try and do some good with my life."

"You're really weighed down by this, aren't you?" I scoffed.

"What gave it away?" I was smiling slightly as I sat slightly straighter, stretching my back.

"Lots of things," Peter grinned, "But you're probably talking to the wrong person about this. I kinda choose to be a bad guy."

"You didn't originally. Not when you were taken by Ravagers. Now you stay as a thief because it's what you know. None of you lot are truly bad guys though. You're all risking your asses to save the galaxy."

"You saw right through us," Peter grinned, pulling out his walkman, "You dance?" He asked, holding it up. I smiled, shaking my head slightly.

"I haven't danced for years," I admitted, "Last time I danced was when I was thirteen."

"How many years ago is that?" Peter asked, seeming slightly insulted by it.

"Eleven years? Roughly."

"This has to be put right." He stood up, hitting the play button on the walkman and dragging me to my feet.

"For crying out loud." I laughed, but just went with it, slightly surprised by how much I had missed dancing. It was far from being intimate dancing, just two friends having a good time.

"So, you've said your dad is Odin," Peter started after a while, "What about your mum?"

"I dunno. I was put up for adoption soon as I was born."

"Seriously?" He looked at me incredulously and I stopped dancing, taking a step back from him, then nodded.

"It's why I grew up in two different families."

"Do you want to meet her?"

"I asked myself that same question every night for about eight years after getting told I was adopted."

"How old were you when you got told?"

"About five," I half smiled, "Think it was Dale that told me. Was after some kind of reaction or something. He just got a smart ass comment," I looked up and frowned, "What in the..." Peter followed where I was looking and frowned.

"Never seen something like that."

"I have." He looked at me incredulously.

"When?"

"Ah..." I frowned, thinking, "When Loki came and tried to conquer Earth."

"Loki did what now?"

"Another long story. For now... how the hell are we meant to close that portal?" A behemoth like the things that attacked New York came through a portal, flying over the city, which I was pretty glad was empty at this time of night. I looked down, still frowning, wondering how the hell the portal was even opened this time. Last time had required the Tesseract, so how was it opened this time...? I shook my head.

"Get the others. I'm going to go let Rocket know he needs to hurry the hell up."

"OK," Peter started to run off, then turned to face me, "Hang on a sec, what can you tell us about these things?"

"Well... Jonah was a pretty good role model for Stark..."

"Huh?"

"Don't worry about it," I shook my head, "Pretty much, cut off portal, kill these guys... I think... the little guys you kill like anyone else. The big guys... try to control them until you can get the hulk in... or a freaking thunder..." I paused, blinking a couple of times, "God..." I started walking off towards the ship, then broke into a run, "Go get the others!" Never had I been so glad that this was happening on a planet that knew about life outside its atmosphere. Not often I was gonna get the chance to think that. I was going to have to make some kind of deal though... and risk my own neck again... and was going to have to have a very firm word with my brother about letting the rest of the Avengers in on this. This was something I would never want them to find out about.

* * *

Rocket looked around at me and growled from his seat on the floor when I barged in, throwing something at my head, which I neatly caught, returning the glare. Rocket then looked at what he had thrown and scowled.

"I kinda need that back." I chucked it to him.

"You might want to hurry things up a little." I said, backing out of the ship.

"Huh? Why?"

"We have company." Rocket's fur bristled, his ears perked forwards, whiskers curving towards me.

"Thanos?"

"Not that I've seen," I shook my head, then shrugged, "Or not yet, anyway. Possibly his goons. Also, we're gonna need something that can disrupt gamma radiation or something like that."

"Gamma radiation? How do you expect to disrupt gamma radiation?"

"Alright, so disrupt might be the wrong word, I have a messed up head, excuse me if I say a wrong word," I scowled, "Block it off. Control it. Remove it. Whatever. Just... working theory about gamma radiation and and and... and that portal back on Earth... and the Tesseract... and just... long story, just... just do it." I sighed, turning and heading out of the ship.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Rocket demanded.

"To get us more backup than just the stinking Nova Corps," I looked up at the sky and over the city which was now full of panicking people being rudely awoken by those beasts I had hoped never to see again, chaos and destruction, a few little things that were probably the equivalent of cop cars, and so on and so on, "Heimdall, I don't care if this is the dumbest thing I will ever do in my life. Open the bifrost." For a moment nothing happened. I scowled, turning my attention to one star I spotted, who knew how far away, which I somehow knew was Asgard. My hands clenched by my side, teeth grinding together.

"Open. The damn. Bifrost." I could pretty much hear him muttering about how stupid this idea was, but then I was swept up in a shower of light and carried away to a far off planet... where I was wanted for... who knew what reason Loki/Odin had given.

* * *

I nodded to Heimdall and started walking towards the rainbow bridge, shoes making quiet scuffing noises while I walked, echoing slightly in the room. Heimdall watched me, pulling his sword from the podium thing and stepping down to stand in my way.

"All that effort to get you safe and you just come straight back." He looked like he was trying to hide a smile. I shrugged.

"Still have to climb the castle now don't I?" I half smirked back, "I need to speak with Odin."

"Do you have a death wish?" I looked around at this new voice, my eyes connecting... with Fandral's.

"Ah... hello again," I threw him a quick smile as he marched over to me, "I was actually expecting Thor to come storming in here, red in the face... probably would start being difficult to tell where his drapes – sorry, curtain..." I frowned, concentration hard, knowing that still wasn't right, "Cape!" I grinned. Fandral just looked confused.

"You... Didn't finish that sentence..." He muttered.

"Didn't I? Well, it was probably gonna be something about not being able to tell where Thor's cape ended and his face started," I shrugged again, "Now, please, I really do need to see Odin."

"You are wanted for plotting to assassinate our king!" Fandral told me.

"Ooooooh," I nodded contemplatively, "That would certainly be why people want me dead," Fandral looked kind of alarmed and I quickly shook my head, "No! Oh, no, no, no, no, no... I haven't been plotting to kill anyone. Well... except maybe that bastard who ordered tech be put in my head... and maybe Steve in my free time... sometimes Clint if I want a change of pace, or even Nat, but that's beside the point and three out of those four are just me being plain silly," I paused, taking a breath, then sighing, a rather pressed smile on my face, "I'm rambling aren't I?"

"Yes, a little bit." Fandral still looked stunned. I sighed again, shaking my head and letting the smile fall from my face.

"I'm gonna make this quick. The planet I was on is currently under attack and I need backup from Asgard's forces, so I need to talk to Odin and try to negotiate a temporary truce."

"Our king has little reason to listen to you, unfortunately." Heimdall told me. I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm the bastard princess of Asgard. Maybe not crown Princess, but I'm fairly certain I should have some, even if temporary, protection in this matter, and I will see my father." I said it with a lot more confidence than I felt.

"Yes. You shall." Well all looked at the rainbow bridge, where the new voice had come from. There, silhouetted by the light reflecting off the castle of Asgard, stood Odin. Well, admittedly it was an Odin I knew was actually Loki, but that didn't change the fact that it looked a little impressive. My eyes met with his one that didn't have the Velcro eyepatch, and either I suddenly felt very cold, or my heart started racing, quite probably missing a beat or two. That, or all of the above.

Suddenly this wasn't feeling like such a good idea.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten

"Leave us." Odin commanded.

"But, Sire – " One of his guards objected, and Odin turned on him, fury in his one eye.

"I said, leave us!" He repeated. The guards quickly scrambled from the room, leaving me kneeling on the ground, hands bound behind my back. As soon as it was just us left in the room Loki dropped the disguise, stepping over and hauling me roughly to my feet then removing my restraints. I looked at him strangely, unsure about his motives. He just smirked as he walked away.

"There is nothing you can do to me." He explained. I shrugged, rubbing my wrists as I looked around the throne room again. It almost felt like I was getting rather familiar with this place, though I still didn't understand how Thor could have put up with growing up in this place. Slowly I turned my attention back to Loki, who had sat down on the throne, his fingers tapping on the arms. Then he stopped, watching me closely, a small smile playing across his lips.

"I thought you had at least a little intelligence," He said, "Didn't realise you had suicidal tendencies." I half smiled back, then looked around again.

"So, where's our brother?" I asked, "You send him on a wild goose chase?"

"Last I knew he was filling your friends in about your situation."

"How long does it take to tell them I'm fine and currently on a space adventure?" I grumbled, rolling my eyes.

"Our brother isn't exactly the brightest being in the universe."

"That's true," I paused, then sighed, "I hate myself for saying this, but..." I cut myself off, frowning, wondering how best to phrase this.

"But?" Loki prompted.

"You remember that army you brought to Earth not that long ago?"

"Of course."

"Well... My friends and I kinda need help fighting them." Loki laughed.

"And what makes you think that I'll help you?"

"Because I'll hand myself over for whatever punishment you see fit."

"But I already have you here," Loki held his hands out, then grabbed the arms of the throne, pushing himself out of it and crossing over to me once more, "How would you handing yourself over whet my appetite?"

"Because I don't think you actually want to kill me," I explained, "And from what I've heard, stuff like hypnosis requires someone to be willing." He frowned.

"Hypnosis?" He scoffed, "What has hypnosis got to do with anything?"

"You can block my memories, all memories of you hiding yourself as Odin. Means that you don't have to kill me." Loki went back to smirking.

"And why wouldn't I want to kill you?" He asked, "It would remove the thorn from my side." Now it was my turn to smirk.

"You know, a lot of supposedly bad guys I have met recently aren't actually as bad as they pretend."

"Are you forgetting what I did to your precious Earth?"

"No. I could never forget something like that," I told him, the smirk falling from my face, "But... I don't know. There's something about you, Loki," I sighed, shaking my head and looking away slightly, "We might not be related in any way, shape or form, but you're Thor's brother. And there's a part of my that thinks that you're not entirely bad," I chuckled, "That thinks you're just being a rebellious teenager that wants his family's approval," I looked back around at him, a small smile on my face, "That you just want to be noticed. I've been there. Maybe not on quite such a large scale, but my first foster parents treated me differently to my foster brother. Loved me just the same, but there were things he could get away with that I couldn't. And my second foster parents wouldn't let me have anything to do with my old family, were just too worried about my health. So in some ways... Yeah. I know what you're going through. I'm not going to tell anyone that you're not who you pretend to be, not going to tell anyone that the current Odin isn't who he looks like, but... I think you're willing to help me if it means we come to an agreement that means I walk out of here alive," I shrugged when Loki still didn't seem convinced, "Plus, helping me means that you don't have more people doubting you are who you say you are. After all, I'm sure the real Odin would help his daughter." Loki sighed, putting his illusion back in place and heading to the door.

"Guards!"

"Yes, Sire?"

"Get the men ready," He ordered, "It would seem we are going to war."

"Sire?" Odin/Loki looked back around at me.

"It's on a scale that could effect all the nine realms in the future." He said. I nodded. It was true. There was a chance it could. There was still a part of me that thought this was way too easy though. Besides, Loki was a trickster god. He could have anything up his sleeve, and I knew it. He probably knew I knew it too, but he also knew how desperate I was. On the bright side, at least I wasn't dead.

Yet.

* * *

Heimdall dropped the army right in the middle of battle, so I had to run back to the ship, barging in on Rocket, who turned and snarled at me, clearly expecting one of the butt ugly alien whatever to come barging in. When he saw it was me he relaxed a little, then just frowned slightly.

"Where the hell did you go off to?"

"I'm sure I remember telling you that I was going to get help."

"You never said from where!"

"Odin." I picked up the tech that was originally meant to translate Groot from the ground, messing around with it, knowing exactly what I had to do, and knowing that I had to do it before the end of this fight.

"You went to your dad for help? The guy who's trying to kill you?"

"Currently we have a truce going on," I explained, picking up a couple of other things form the ground, "Don't you need to finish the... the thing?"

"Infinity stone copies? Yeah, they're almost done."

"Good. Finish up, then get out and give them to people and tell them to get Heimdall to send them somewhere else."

"Heimdall?"

"He'll get them somewhere far away from here. Then they hide the things and get transported back here."

"That will just be spreading them to other planets!"

"Rocket!" I snapped, then sighed, looking around, "Let me worry about the details, please," I looked right in his eyes, could clearly see the worry there, "Just trust me." Rocket nodded slowly after a second, then went back to work as I headed back out, quickly finishing the tech in my hands. I slipped down a side street that didn't currently have anyone else around and crouched down, pressing a button on the thing, then sighed.

"OK, so... not much time to explain this in full, but, long story short... I quite possibly have made the biggest mistake in my life, and for that... I'm so, so sorry."

* * *

I slipped the thing into a pocket and headed out, tucking my hair behind my ears and then heading back out into the swarm of monsters I had wished never to see again. I could see Gamora and Drax, but no sign of Peter or Groot. I had to shove the fear of what had might have happened to them to the back of my mind as an asgardian warrior shot an arrow past me into the chest of one of the invaders. I nodded my thanks to them, then ran forward, jumping onto a concrete fence, then jumping off that onto the back of a Behemoth, holding on as it flew through the sky, kicking out at a couple of the smaller aliens, sending them falling off the beast while I struggled to make my way to its head, still keeping an eye out for Peter and Groot, while also watching Gamora and Drax to make sure they weren't in too much trouble. But I didn't think they would be finding this too hard... or more correct I didn't think they would be too hard off, especially since Siff and the Warriors Three were nearby. Seeing them in action was actually quite impressive. I got too distracted and misplaced one of my feet, one of the invading aliens taking advantage of it and almost managing to impale me. Next thing I knew it was being shot away. I looked around at Peter, who apparently had a jet pack. That was cool. I needed to get one of those. Actually, no... I wanted an Ironman suit. I grinned at Peter, glad to see he was alright. He landed next to me, giving me a hand up while shooting another couple of aliens.

"Where's Groot?" I almost had to shout to be heard above the noise of what was sort of like gunfire from the things I presumed were being flown around by Nova Corps employees.

"I thought he was with Gamora?" Peter yelled back, his mask retreating so I could see his face properly.

"Well, to be fair my eyesight isn't that good..." I chuckled nervously, "Let's hope he's still with Gamora."

"Right," Peter and I ducked a blow from another invader, me summoning a burst of air and causing it to go flying off to the ground, "Any idea how to kill this thing we're standing on?" Peter asked me, shooting yet another alien.

"Ah..." I struggled past him, making my way to the head, scanning the armour for any weaknesses, "Still working on it," I admitted, "Right now I really, really wish we had Hulk... or maybe Thor. In a perfect world we'd have all the Avengers."

"Well, sorry. You're stuck with a bunch of misfits." I grinned at Peter, my short hair getting into my eyes... just...

"Wouldn't have it any other way," I looked up as a flash of golden light lit the sky, "Looks like Rocket's giving out our distractions." Peter followed my eyes, frowning slightly.

"I don't understand."

"Right now Heimdall is beaming people into ships in the middle of nowhere and sending them into places like asteroid belts to place the decoys," I explained, "Figure it might at least... ah... what the hell is the word..."

"Deter?"

"Yeah! Thanks," I grinned at him, "Might at least deter people from going after them." I continued making my way to the head, Peter still following me. We reached the head and my eyes started almost glowing red as I started manipulating fire from a nearby building to come to me, spiralling up around me in a towering inferno before I forced it to super heat the armour on the behemoth and melting it into the creature's skull, then through it, killing it, sending it on a collision path with another building. Peter tried to grab me but got thrown off by another of the smaller aliens. My eyes changed to green and the fire dispersed as I started solidifying the air and controlling the decent of the behemoth down a street, trying to minimise the damage. I got thrown off for my efforts, but at least less people were injured and I just managed to roll out of the path, setting my feet firmly on the ground and forcing it to open, engulfing another three or four of the invading aliens. My eyes connected with Peter's and I nodded to tell him I was fine. He nodded back, his mask covering his face again as he flew off. I turned to find another group of aliens to fight and found myself face to face with Odin/Loki. He looked at me and smirked, leaving me frowning.

"We have an invading army to fight, what are you – " I got cut off as his hands shot out, one each side of my head.

"This isn't going to be pleasant." He warned, just as I shut my eyes while fragments of memories flashed before them. The look in the child's eyes just after I had killed her parents, Dale's mom just before I killed her, stabbing the Entity in the wrist through my own, trying to strangle Steve... I gasped, trying to struggle through the memories, trying to get air into my lungs, fighting to stop the feeling that I was drowning... but all I got was more memories, memories of pushing an old man off a bridge, of using the wind to rip S.H.I.E.L.D agent throats out, of a boy with red hair and orange eyes, freckles dusting his nose...

And then of Loki.

Odin/Loki dropped his hands, leaving me to stumble back, placing a hand against a nearby wall so I wouldn't fall over, coughing, then just panting, glaring at him.

"The hell did you just do?" I choked out.

"Making sure you keep up your end of the bargain," He explained, "Making sure you cannot tell anyone about who I am." Then he turned and started walking off, leaving me on my own. He had just rounded the corner when another pack of the invaders came visiting me. I held my hands out in front of me, falling backwards against the wall due to the sudden movement, calling up a shield of wind to protect me, then forcing it back, forcing the struggling invaders into the far wall, slowly crushing them. Once that was done I took half a second to catch my breath, then scowled, pushing myself away from the wall and running out and making the ground rise a little each step I took until I was satisfactorily high, pushing myself off and sending me flying into another of the invaders, quickly dispatching them, now finding myself in the thick of battle, Gamora and Drax not that far from my position anymore, Peter now helping them out, Lady Siff and the Warriors Three also still reasonably nearby, protecting a small group of civilians. Fighting in the thick of battle was taking a lot more of my concentration than it had when I was just shooting from a distance. I missed those days. Another golden beam shot down, this time next to me, and I looked away, covering my eyes for a second. I grinned when I looked back before returning to fighting.

"You took your time." I yelled above all the noise.

"I thought I told you to be safe!" Thor yelled back, backhanding one of the invading aliens with his hammer.

"I really can't remember. Bad memory and all that."

"Do I seem to be in a gaming mood, Tyra?"

"Ah... yyyyyyeahhh?" Thor threw a dirty look at me, then went back to fighting.

"Any ideas as to how to close the portal this time?" He asked.

"I think, not sure, but I think I put Rocket on finding a way to disrupt, block, remove, control... whatever, just generally mess around with gamma radiation or something like that," Thor looked back at me, still not impressed, and I rolled my eyes at him, "I only pretend to know everything, Thor. I also have a messed up head, remember?"

"How sure are you that you asked this Rocket to work with gamma radiation?" Thor demanded, "And how sure are you that this will work?"

"Um..." I dodged another attack and Thor electrocuted the thing, "88% sure that I asked, 12% sure that it will work."

"Do you have a backup plan?" Thor looked at me incredulously as Siff and the Warriors Three stepped forward and started making sure that we weren't attacked.

"Can I get back to you on that one?"

"I do not believe this is the best time for this argument," Siff interrupted, "Perhaps you could resume it once we have this situation under control?"

"We cannot get it under control until we close that portal!" Thor pointed up at the portal in the sky and an idea clicked in my head. I clapped my hands together, then looked back at Thor.

"I have an idea."

"Is it an idea that will work?" He asked me. I pulled a face.

"Well... 50/50 we'll live or get killed and possibly destroy the entire planet." Thor paused a moment.

"It is better than the 12% her other plan will work." Fandral called out.

"He has a point." I said, Thor sighing, then nodded.

"What do you need me to do?" He asked.

"Still need that gamma radiation thing I asked Rocket to make."

"If you even asked."

"I'm pretty sure I asked."

"Just get moving!" Volstagg yelled at us and I grinned, running off, Thor not that far behind me, though I knew that he could have gotten in front of me quite easily, he was just following to make sure he knew where he was going. From what I could see, this portal was different. There was nothing on this end seeming to hold it open. Which made things a little more complicated. But if they could just... I tore my eyes from the portal and reached out with my mind, trying to use the wind to find Rocket. I knew it could be a bad idea, but there wasn't exactly much choice. It would be faster than searching every street in person. I just hoped that this would work.

* * *

 **I haven't proof read... again... And I get the impression that this is nearing the end... not too sure, but I suppose we shall find out. I hope that despite all the mistakes that are bound to riddle this chapter, you still managed to enjoy it.**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Rocket glared at me, folding his arms across his chest angrily as I finished outlining my plan. Obviously he thought I was an idiot, which I possibly was, and quite possibly wasn't impressed about what I wanted to do to his precious new contraption.

"You know how long I spent making this thing?" He demanded as another alien fell out of the sky, just missing the roof we were standing on.

"I'm guessing 5 minutes." Rocket paused.

"No," He said, a little indignantly, "More like 8." I rolled my eyes.

"If you can think of a better idea, I'd love to hear it."

"You want to blow it up!"

"Yes. Yes I do. And Thor is going to help me." Thor looked at me, his arms folded and the thoughtful look on his face changing to one of confusion.

"I am?"

"Yes, Muscles, you are," I retorted, "Why else do you think I dragged you here?"

"How am I supposed to know what goes through your head?" Thor challenged and I paused.

"Yeah, OK, you have a point," I turned to Rocket again, "Look, just cough it up." Rocket started grumbling under his breath, but held out the rather surprisingly small device. I took it, turning it over a couple of times in my hands, then nodded.

"Thanks," My eyes changed green as I created a platform out of air and slowly started raising it towards the portal, "I hope this works."

"I still do not see how this could destroy the planet." Thor said, watching as the device got closer to the portal.

"If Rocket got stuff wrong then we could just strengthen the portal," I explained, "Meaning it will sorta... well... ever seen a star go supernova?"

"I cannot say that I have."

"Well, I imagine it would be a little like that. Just maybe not quite so hot."

"What do you mean, if I got things wrong?" Rocket demanded.

"Alright, so also if I got things wrong," I admitted, "Can we argue more about this later? Kinda need to concentrate." Rocket continued mumbling, but didn't say anything else. I closed my eyes, feeling the air start to thin as the device got higher. I was only half aware of Thor and Rocket starting to fight off more aliens as they landed on the roof. Next thing I knew my concentration was snapped back to where I stood rather than around the device, my eyes changing back to their usual blue-green grey as I got pushed to the ground, only just managing to grab the staff thing that I was about to be impaled with, grabbing the shaft and feeling my hands getting sliced open.

"Damn, you're ugly." I scowled at the thing that was almost roaring in my face, its spit getting all over my face. I kicked its feet out from under it and rolled over, turning the staff/spear/gun thing and shooting it in the face, standing up and quickly making another platform for the device, catching it about halfway down in its decent. This was getting to be a pain. This time I risked going a but faster. Only problem with that was it took more concentration to keep the air solid, the particles just wanting to race away and start having more fun and disperse and all that sort of thing.

"Thor!" I yelled when I figured the device would be in position. Thor looked over at me and raised Mjolnir, calling lightning down. As he was doing this I reached out and started controlling some fire from nearby, shooting it up into the sky to where the device was, though I knew this would also be a little difficult because there was less oxygen up there. The fire and the lightning collided with the device at the same time, though why it caused such a large explosion, I still don't exactly know. Something tells me Rocket had an idea something like this would end up happening and so put a little bit of explosives in his device. What was it with that guy and explosives?

The explosion engulfed the portal as I opened my eyes again, watching, just mildly concerned about what was going to happen. The explosion grew as it an the portal met, for a moment the cloud-like things around the portal turned a violent shade of red and orange, streaks of blue lightning flashing through, and then everything seemed to freeze. A second seemed to last for years. Rocket moved over to me and climbed up onto my shoulder, me reaching up to scratch him behind his ear.

"This better work." He grumbled to me.

"Look at it this way," I muttered back, "We won't know if it doesn't because we'll all be dead." Then the portal seemed to fall in on itself, sort of almost like you'd imagine a black hole would, and then it exploded out again, almost throwing us to the ground. I only just managed to call an air shield up to protect us from the sudden blast as we all covered our eyes, still leaving us a little rattled, but otherwise completely fine. We looked up again, only just managing to realise that the portal was actually gone before we noticed the behemoth falling out of the sky towards us. I groaned.

"Not again..." Then I threw myself off the building, Thor not that far behind me. While he would be fine with landing on the hard ground (him being pure asgardian) I wasn't so sure I would be and I was almost positive Rocket wouldn't be. I twisted in mid-air, watching as the behemoth crash landed where we had been just moments before, trying to summon something – anything – that could slow our fall... but I'd used a fair bit of my energy up already, so even trying to control the air was difficult right now. I closed my eyes, preparing for what was to come, thinking that on the bright side I was about to find out if I could survive a multi-story drop. Rocket and I never hit the ground, though. I opened my eyes when I felt myself get caught, looking up at Peter's mask. Then I noticed that Rocket wasn't on my shoulder anymore, half turning around and reaching out, only just managing to grab him... by the tail... Needless to say, he wasn't too impressed and I doubted he would ever forgive me for it. Peter set me down on the ground and I immediately decided that sitting would be a good idea, doubting my legs could hold me up. Thor crouched next to me, perhaps a little bruised, but otherwise fine.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Mhm. Fine. Just give me a moment and I might not even feel like I'm going to throw up." I half grinned, leaning my head back against the wall, clutching my hand to my side where I'd been shot what felt like a lifetime ago.

"Shit." Peter hissed, crouching down and checking the exit wound. Thor looked a little confused.

"What are you doing?" He asked, maybe a little protectively.

"I got shot a while ago," I explained, "Wound probably reopened when that thing attacked me."

"Still not as bad as it was." Peter told me.

"We must get her to Asgard," Thor told Peter, "The technology we have may be able to heal her faster."

"How fun," I muttered, stumbling to my feet, "I'll be fine." I told them. All three of them gave me a look.

"You're an idiot." Rocket grumbled.

"It will take only a moment." Thor assured me. I rolled my eyes.

"Fine."

"And then you shall be sent home."

"No." They all looked at me, slightly shocked.

"But... That's what you've been after this whole time, isn't it?" Peter asked, "To get home to Earth?" I nodded.

"Yes. But I'm not going back until I know all of you are fine," I told him, "And I want to make sure I say bye properly." I tooled down at my hands, inspecting the cuts across the palms before lowering them and looking Peter in the eye. He smiled, then nodded.

"We'll stay around here, help out with the clean-up," He said, "Just don't take too long."

"I'll try not to." I grinned.

"Heimdall, open the bifrost." Thor ordered, light shooting down and scooping me and Thor up, whisking us away back to Asgard.

* * *

It was interesting that they couldn't detect what Loki had put in my brain, whatever it was, that stopped me talking about how he and Odin were currently one and the same. I was lain out on a bench type table thing, a sort of hologram thing above me showing where all the damage was, and then another person went along with something I didn't recognise and the next thing I knew, a strange, slightly painful almost tingling sensation shot up my side from where I had been shot, the wound healing slowly, but a lot faster than it would have otherwise. Someone else was working on the cuts on my hands. I glanced at Thor, who stood by, watching the proceedings.

"Think they can fix my brain damage?" I asked, jokingly. Alright, so maybe I was a bit hopeful that they would actually be able to fix it, but I told myself I wouldn't be disappointed if they couldn't. Thor just smiled, then shook his head slightly.

"We do not know if that would simply make the damage worse." He explained. I half smiled, pushing myself into a sitting position, much to the annoyance of the healers, and shrugged.

"Ah well. Couldn't hurt to ask," Thor looked apologetic, "Hey, um... do you mind not telling the others about this?"

"Why?" Thor asked, frowning a little.

"I don't want them to worry," I explained, "And considering everything I've been through, well... They'd probably be worried and refuse to let me out of their sight for weeks."

"You are fortunate I have better things to do with my time than babysit you," He scolded, "Or I would be watching you for weeks."

"But you won't tell them?"

"We shall see."

"Please, Thor? All the danger has passed, where would the harm be in keeping this between us?"

"I do not wish to lie to them."

"Is it really lying if you don't actually say anything?"

"That depends entirely on the situation," I looked around as Lady Sif entered the room, a small smile on her face, "How are you feeling?" She asked me. I thought for a moment, looking down at the small mark that was all that remained of the wound I'd received so long ago.

"Pretty good, actually. Thanks to you lot," I looked back at her and smiled, "If you and the other asgardians hadn't been there I don't know how that would have turned out. Thanks."

"No need to thank us," Fandral said as he entered the room, Volstagg and Hogun not far behind, "It was all in a day's work."

"I'm sure," I chuckled, "But still. You probably saved our butts back there."

"Well, why don't you prove it with a kiss?" Fandral asked, a rather cheeky glint in his eye as Thor turned and glared at him. I just grinned.

"Maybe some other time when my dear brother isn't around to kill you afterwards." Now it was my turn to receive a glare from Thor. I pushed myself off the table and thanked those who had healed me, holding out my hand to shake Fandral's. Fandral looked at it for a moment, then took half a step back and took it, planting a kiss on the back of my hand. I blinked a couple of times, then chuckled.

"Not quite what I extended, but that works," He leaned his head to one side, "You're meant to shake it," I explained, "It's a custom on Earth." He thought a moment, then shook my hand, grinning. Thor just shook his head, probably not sure whether to be amused or irritated by his friend's behavior. I then went on to shake Volstagg's hand, Hogun's hand, and Sif's hand, the other two men also kissing my hand before hand, though I had no clue why, considering I had already explained the custom of shaking hands.

"I might come back," I said, darting a look at Thor, "Depending on how things go with Odin."

"Indeed," Volstagg said in that loud voice of his, "We look forward to it." I smiled at him.

"Even if I don't, I'd be happy for you to come to visit me on Earth."

"We shall see what the future holds for us," Hogun said, "But we shall try." I nodded.

"I think we should get you back home now." Thor cut in, making all of us look around at him. I raised an eyebrow.

"Back to what's-it-called first. There are more people I have to say goodbye to."

"Fine." I leaned my head to one side.

"You almost sound like a sulky teenager." Thor scowled.

"The sooner you are back on Earth, the sooner you are safe."

"Earth is hardly a safe place."

"Safer then."

"I suppose that works," I turned back to the others, "Make sure this guy stays out of trouble."

"We shall do our best." Fandral said.

"But usually it is he who is getting us into trouble." Volstagg added. I grinned.

"Trouble making must run in the family."

"Indeed." Sif grinned. Thor took me by the shoulders and steered me from the room, leading me back to the Rainbow Bridge and the Bifrost. I was almost sad that I was leaving. Alright, so I was actually very sad. I'd grown to like this place, despite hardly having been here and when I was here, Loki was plotting how best to remove me from the equation. I bit my lower lip, looking down at my feet as we stepped onto the Rainbow bridge, wondering how it lit up under foot as we walked.

"Are you alright, Tyra?" Thor asked gently.

"I was just thinking that I still haven't had the opportunity to climb the castle."

"Perhaps you shall have the opportunity again someday."

"Not for a long time, Thor. Not for a long time." He frowned.

"What makes you say that?"

"Odin and I aren't exactly on the best of terms," I muttered, "Somehow I don't think he's going to want to see me again soon." After that we just fell into silence, Thor not sure how to respond. The bifrost was already open when Thor and I arrived, or at least ready to be opened. Heimdall stood beside it, his great sword in the pedestal. I smiled at him and he smiled back.

"It has been a pleasure to get to know you, Tyra Odinborn."

"Come on," I chuckled, "I think both of us know that this isn't goodbye. Not for us anyway."

"I do not know what you mean." He sounded so innocent. I shrugged.

"Mm... I'm pretty sure you do." Heimdall inclined his head slightly and turned to the pedestal, calmly opening the bifrost. Thor stepped towards it, pausing and turning to me when I didn't move.

"Are you coming?" He asked.

"Yeah, just... You go on ahead. I have something I want to talk to Heimdall about." I explained. Thor looked a little curious, but nodded and stepped through the bifrost, leaving me and Heimdall alone.

"Before I had to run away, you told me something," I said, turning back to Heimdall, "You remember?"

"Of course, my princess."

"Technically I'm just a nobody," I scoffed, then sighed, "You told me that Odin asked you to watch me."

"Yes."

"So... why? Why have all these things happened to me? Why did he never do anything to stop it? And why..." I bit my lower lip, pausing before speaking again, "Why did he never tell me?"

"I cannot answer for my king," Heimdall said gently, "But I can tell you that he does care for you. Perhaps he was just trying to protect you," Neither of us spoke for a moment, "It is my hope that you shall meet him someday."

"Yeah..." I sighed, "You still can't tell anyone about..." I couldn't form the words. Good to know what it was the spell did. Heimdall just nodded.

"I shall keep it to myself until a later time. A time when I can prove my suspicions." I nodded, smiling slightly.

"Thanks." Then I turned and stepped through the bifrost, preparing myself for the next set of goodbyes I would have to say.

* * *

I fingered the thing in my pocket, turning it over and over, thinking who best to give it to. Peter, Gamora, and Drax were all helping out with the clean-up, Groot and Rocket sitting and messing around with something that I couldn't quite tell what was from the distance I was at. But, considering a pile of rubble nearby got shot, I got the impression that it had something to do with alien weaponry, possibly from the things that had invaded. I smiled slightly.

"You have become quite close with them, haven't you?" Thor asked me.

"I don't know. I'm still not sure how much they trust me, considering I kept the fact that I'm essentially half god from them," My face broke into a grin, "I'm a demigod! Ha! Hercules got nothin' on me," Thor looked at me slightly funny and I shrugged, "What?"

"I... do not understand."

"Human mythology. Think that one's Roman... Pretty sure Hercules was Hercales to ancient Greeks... I dunno, I was never as interested in that stuff as I was in Norse," I leaned my head to the side slightly, "Thinking about it, I guess we now know why I was so obsessed with this stuff as a kid. Considering my ties to it, even if I didn't know it back then." Thor didn't say anything, just watched as Groot looked up and pointed at me, then started running forwards. I smiled, crouching down when we were a bit closer together, reaching out and picking him up, placing him on my shoulder, where he proceeded to wrap his arms around my head in a form of hug.

"Glad to see you're OK, Groot." I told him.

"I am Groot!" He grinned. He was so adorable. Thor looked just a little disconcerted about a talking twig.

"I shall give you a moment to say your goodbyes." He told me. I nodded, heading the rest of the way to the others.

"You all fixed up?" Peter asked me. I nodded.

"Yep. Right as rain."

"So now you are returning to Earth?" Gamora asked me. Again I nodded.

"Yep, that's the plan."

"Do you have to go?" We all looked down at Rocket in surprise and he shifted a little uncomfortably, "I mean, you're pretty much one of us now, right?" I recovered from the shock of it and smiled, crouching down at looking him in the eye.

"I have my own team to get back to," I told him, "And a debt to repay," My mind shifted to Barnes, "Trust me, I'd love to stay. Life out here... It's amazing. I could never have imagined stuff like this, but I have a job to do back home," Rocket nodded and I sighed, pulling the ex-translator from my pocket, "Look after this for me, would you?" He cautiously took it.

"The Groot translator?" He asked, confused.

"I never got it to work, so I redesigned it a little," I explained, "If that light on the top ever starts flashing, it means that something has happened to me and I'm probably... well... dead," Rocket's ears flicked back slightly, "And I'm going to need someone to get that," I pointed at the thing in Rocket's hands, "To one of the people on this list," I pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to him, "Trust me. It's important."

"Why are you trusting me with it if it's so important? I'll probably just blow it up." I smiled slightly.

"Please avoid using it as an explosive if you can," I half joked, "And I'm trusting you with it because I trust you," I told him, standing up and looking at the others, "If you lot ever need help with anything or... or you just want someone to talk to, just look for Stark Tower and ask about a guy called Tony. He should be able to tell you where I am." Peter nodded.

"You can bet we're gonna ask you a lot of questions about what the hell happened to you when you were a kid." He said.

"I look forward to it," I grinned back, scooping up Rocket and placing him on Drax's shoulder, "You lot make sure the kid doesn't get hurt, you hear me? Or I shall never forgive you."

"Don't worry," Gamora smiled, "We'll make sure he stays out of trouble."

"Oh, I doubt that. You have the wannabe Star Lord in charge of your band of dysfunctional merry men," I looked down at Rocket, who looked slightly dejected, "Hey," He looked up at me, "This ain't a permanent goodbye ya know. More like a see ya later alligator."

"He is not an alligator." Drax frowned and I shook my head.

"I know that, it's just... ya know what, Imma gonna letting Peter explain this one," I looked around and spotted Thor, obviously wanting to get going, "I better be off. Have fun you lot." I waved as I started walking away.

"I am Groot." He sounded so sad and I could feel the lump forming in my throat.

"Yeah, I'll miss you too little buddy." I gave him a pat on the head and then went to join Thor again, nodding to show that I was ready, and then we were both once again caught up in the beam of light from the bifrost, the Guardians of the Galaxy watching until the light faded out of existence. Peter turned to Rocket.

"Any clue what that thing is?" He asked, pointing at the device in Rocket's paws. Rocket scowled.

"None of our business," He growled, "Our business is to protect it."


	12. Chapter 12

Epilogue

Pretty much everyone was already waiting when Thor and I were dropped off at Stark Tower. I'd swear that even Tony looked relieved to see me.

"Hey, guys," I grinned, "Did ya miss me?" Steve stepped forward and pulled me into a rough hug.

"Glad to see you're alright, Ty." He said as he pulled away.

"Thor told us what happened between you and Odin." Nat said and I nodded.

"Yep. Well, nothing to worry about. All sorted now."

"So you're not being chased by a Norse God anymore?"

"You sound almost disappointed, Clint." I raised and eyebrow at him and he shrugged.

"What can I say? I got some new arrows I wanna try out."

"Try them out on Thor. I'm sure he'd be happy to be shot at." I joked as I stepped inside, Thor just glaring at Clint, silently daring him to try it, Tony ruffling my hair as I went past, me ducking to try and escape it but ending up in a headlock. He looked so proud of himself as I struggled to escape, everyone else just watching in amusement.

"Damnit, Tony, let me go!" He just grinned, continuing to scruff my hair a bit longer before letting me go. No matter how much I tried to neaten my hair, it really didn't work. I scowled at him, giving up on flattening my hair until I could have a proper shower or something. I turned and came face to face with Sam, who just frowned slightly.

"You look awful."

"Yeah well, I did just get assaulted by Tony."

"More than just the hair," Now he was smiling slightly, "Which almost suits you actually."

"Gee... thanks..." I shook my head, "You know, I think I'll just go sleep for a hundred years. Let you guys question me to Oblivion later." I shot a look at Thor, silently asking him not to say anything. He didn't seem too convinced, but I knew he wouldn't say anything. Not yet anyway.

"Sleep well, Tyra." Steve called after me. I threw a smile over my shoulder at him.

"Don't I always?" I joked, then vanished down the hall to my room.

* * *

 _I stood watching the house. There were lights on in the windows and I could just make out the shapes of about 4 people, 2 adults and 2 children. I say children, but one was probably around 5 years younger than me, so somewhere around 15. But he was of little interest. It was the girl that was interesting. She was petty young, younger than 10 anyway. And she was like the Schatten. Naturally... gifted. It was intriguing, watching her with plants. She manipulated them, seemed to have conversations of sorts with them. It was quite something._

 _"Schönheit, stand ready." Kuznetsov ordered. I didn't show that I had heard or understood. He knew that I had. He slowly walked forward, knocking three times on the door. Normally it was four times. Why only three this time? Didn't matter. The boy was the one to answer the door, but my eyes never left the girl. She was quite pretty. Long blonde hair that reached about the bottom of her shoulder blades, flawless skin, around the average height for someone her age I should imagine, not that I knew what the average age for people around 10 years old was. I couldn't quite hear what was being said, but I could feel it._

 _"We just want to ask a few questions." Kuznetsov said. The boy shook his head. His hair was a bit redder than his sisters, more of a strawberry blond, and his eyes were pale brown._

 _"No. No way. She's just a kid." Kuznetsov sighed, turning and beckoning to me. I walked forward, my face still completely void of... well, anything really. The boy looked at me, frowning slightly. He was already about my height, maybe a little taller._

 _"Who are you?" He demanded. I didn't reply, just kept watching him._

 _"This is my associate," Kuznetsov explained, "She is... well, similar in some ways to your sister. She can do things. Schönheit?" I lifted my hand, a small ball of water forming in its palm. The boy blinked a couple of times._

 _"Who are you people?" He whispered, clearly wanting to retreat into the house, but being held in place by what I guessed was most likely fear or over protectiveness for his sister._

 _"We can help your sister." Kuznetsov explained._

 _"You're not getting anywhere near her," The boy growled, "But... You can take me. Leave my sister alone and you can do what you like with me." Kuznetsov leaned his head to the side slightly, then a smile grew on his face._

 _"What's your name, boy?" He asked. The boy opened his mouth to reply._

* * *

I rolled over, looking up at the ceiling. Of all the times to wake up... That felt important. I couldn't explain why, but it did. I glanced out the window. Apparently I'd forgotten to close the curtains when I'd fallen into bed. Oh well. Nothing unusual. I sat up in bed, my bare arms a little cold. Served me right for wearing a tank top to bed. I pushed back the covers and put my feet on the floor, pausing a moment before standing up and heading to my computer. I turned it on and quickly unlocked it, then pulled up the usual camera I used to look for Barnes. When I couldn't find him on that one I started looking on other cameras, eventually spotting him entering a building. Probably where he was staying. At least he hadn't been found yet. I sighed and closed the feed, getting to work checking on who was getting even semi close to finding him, starting to run a little bit of interference. It wasn't like I was going to get back to sleep any time soon. May as well get back to work. I sighed, leaning on one arm, thinking about everything I'd been through, hoping like mad that Rocket and the others wouldn't listen on that recording saying that Odin was actually Loki. It seemed slightly unreal that all that had happened. But it had. I smirked. And one of my best friends was a talking racoon, and another was a walking talking twig.


End file.
